I am writing this entry a little early, because we are getting on the ferry in a few hours. I can’t imagine that we will have any sort of internet service for a while. Here is the itinerary for our ferry adventure (all times Alaska time):
Haines Departs: Monday, Mar 15, 2010 10:15 PM
Juneau
Arrives: Tuesday, Mar 16, 2010 02:45 AM
Departs: Tuesday, Mar 16, 2010 04:45 AM
Sitka
Arrives: Tuesday, Mar 16, 2010 02:15 PM
Departs: Tuesday, Mar 16, 2010 04:30 PM
Petersburg
Arrives: Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 03:30 AM
Departs: Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 04:15 AM
Wrangell
Arrives: Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 07:15 AM
Departs: Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 08:00 AM
Ketchikan Arrives:
Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 02:00 PM
Departs: Wednesday, Mar 17, 2010 05:00 PM
Bellingham Arrives: Friday, Mar 19, 2010 08:00 AM
Last night would have been the most restful night we have had thus far. The cats were good all night. No meowing. No whining. However, at about 4 this morning, someone’s car horn starting go off. It was not a car alarm. It just sounded like someone laying on the horn. And it wouldn’t stop! No one walked outside to claim the annoyance and try to stop it. It just went on and on until the horn finally died. This took a good 10-15 minutes. To whomever that car or truck owner may be: I hope your battery died and you need to fly all the way to Anchorage to get a new one. The motel advertised a free continental breakfast between 7-9am. I got out of bed around 8:40. Ran upstairs in my pajama paints, slippers and a hoodie. With the prices of food in these small towns, I was not going to skip a free meal. Of course, the free continental breakfast consisted of bagels (no cream cheese), blueberry muffins, cinnamon raisin toast, coffee and juice. At least it could be filling. The view was nice for muffins, coffee and juice. Grabbed Sam a bagel, butter and some jam since she could not pull herself out of the comforts of sleeping in to join me.
After finally getting the blog up and going for friends and family (the motel had a computer with internet), we ran some errands and explored the town. Hit the one grocery store in town. Food on the Alaska ferries is ridiculously expensive. The ferry does at the very least have available microwaves and hot water (thanks for the info, Megan). We cleaned the store out of Betty Crocker Bowl Appetits. Granola bars, oatmeal, noodle boxes, plastic silverware and bowls. Some beer and wine. We are good to go!
Drove down to the ferry terminal to check in and get the lane assignment for the car. The guy checking us in mistook Mom’s travel agency, which booked our trip, for the federal government travel agency. He thought we got away with having the government pay for us to take the cats on the ferry. For a brief moment, Sam and I believed him that the government took care of our bill. Did the Coast Guard already accept me for JAG? I just completed my federal background check paperwork last week. Nope. Just Mom’s travel agency as the booking agent. After checking in, we drove all the way to the end of Alaska Highway 7. It was only a few more miles. Gorgeous houses and got some nice shots. This place looks awesome when the weather isn’t, well…raining and overcast.
M.E.
Turning the blog over to Sam…
I’ve know Tim and Jan Davis for several years now and had the opportunity to get to know a lot of the family that lives in the Anchorage area. Jan’s parents, Pat and Wendell, live in Indian (about 20 min south of Anchorage) used to live here in Haines. Many of their kids were born here, but the only one I know for certain in Jan. She was born in the house next to the Port Chilkoot Bible Church where Wendell was the pastor. The house has since been renovated, but the location is still the same. I learned a bit later that Danielle (one of Jan’s nieces) and a friend of mine was also born here. I can’t remember the details of how long everyone was here or how long ago that was, but I enjoy learning about and seeing places of people’s past. So, Matt and I went searching for the church. All I could remember was the name and that is was in Port Chilkoot. I remember this being described as outside of town, so we headed out toward the ferry dock which is Lutock road and several miles long. It eventually deadends and the top of the Lutock Inlet. We made several stops for photos and a couple of turnaround to satisfy my curiosity. No success on finding the church, but the view and the houses were entertaining. We drove back to town and out the other end on Beach Road. I called off the drive when it seemed clear that this would not be a good location to have a group of people driving every Sunday en masse. We took Beach Rd back to town and ended up at the Lighthouse restaurant for lunch because we were both getting pretty hungry. While waiting for the chicken (Matt) and veggie (Me) pitas I googled the church. Apparently it’s the corner of Ft. Seward and Portage. According to my map we’ve near that about half a dozen times. Figures! I bet the Davis’ and Terwilliger’s will find this amusing. After we ate (it was very delicious!) we easily found what we’d been looking for. It is a small red building. Very quaint. We parked the car and got out to take pictures. So, mission accomplished. I didn’t think it would be so hard to find something in a small town, but I should have known. After living in Kodiak for three years and visiting many a tiny town in Alaska, the buildings are small and the signs aren’t giant neon lights. What I mean is that the only people who know where something is in a small town are the folks who live there. Stores aren’t easily recognizable chain (Matt’s insistence on asking for Safeways and fast food chains is amusing). They might be in a normal looking building or street shop and they might be right next to a house. Being difficult to ship to and from structures aren’t as well kept as in cities. In fact, the nicest building here by leaps is the bank. I wasn’t surprised. I didn’t mind the longish adventure to find something that ended up being right in town (I suppose over the last few decades what seemed to be outside of town is now actually in town) because we got to see the whole town from one end to the other. The layout reminded me a lot of Kodiak. Out the road in Lutak Inlet is a mini version of Bells Flat and the other end of town out Beach Road is a mini Three Sisters area. Maybe that’s just me?
S.K.T.
And now to the ferry terminal.
Up Next: A Ride Down The Marine Highway
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