Northern Trails And Tales

A lot of loose ends here, things I’ve thought of but never- at least to my rapidly failing memory- included in the blogs…. Weather:  Everyone talks about the weather, right?  Well, the sky in Alaska is tough to read for a small town boy from Connecitcut.  The cloud formations are just different.   Stratocumulus, or what I think of as stratocumulous, seems to predominate, but it’s not always a good indication of rain, though you could predict rain up here every day and not be too far off.  That’s not true, perhaps, in Fairbanks and some other northern areas, but elsewhere wear Gore Tex.  Another problem is the mountains.  They cause clouds to form overnight just about every night.  Sometimes, they clear off— at least for a while.  We’ve actually been fortunate according to tales we’ve heard from other folks who have come to believe the rain follows them around.  But since Thursday, June 29th we hadn’t had a completely sunny day till yesterday.  Today has been cloudy with a few breaks of sun since late afternoon.  Anyway, this place ain’t Phoenix!….If you’re thinking about RV’ing your way up the Alaskan Highway and then through the Last Frontier, wait a year or two if you want wi-fi.  More than a half dozen places we’ve stayed are either installing wi-fi or plan to install it during the off season.  In a couple years, all the non-government campgrounds will have it.  For me, with my inability to hear at all decently on the phone, it’s been a lifesaver, and a lot of other people really appreciate it.  In Dawson City, one women explained to me how she was making the arrangements for her mother’s funeral (back in Texas) on the computer.  I kid you not.  I gave her my condolences— in person….  Buy gas in a competitive city.  You need at least eight or ten gas stations before the gouging stops.  In one station towns you’ll surely get gouged badly.  I’ve been told that in many places coming up the Alaskan Highway there is one price for locals and another price for tourists, and it can be more than a dollar difference.  I have no idea if this is true.  In any case, in several towns in Canada we were paying more than $5.00 a gallon; that’s American dollars and American gallons….  There are some Alaskans, a goodly number in fact, who are downright unfriendly.  This is noticable most everywhere we’ve been since we arrived here. The tourist based folks are just as friendly and helpful as elsewhere, and in fact the guy who owns the campground we’re staying at now is, maybe, the nicest  and friendliest guy we’ve met on the trip.  Mine is not an isolated observation as Dave has noticed it, too, and a number of other RV’ers have made comments to the same effect  These folks I’m describing will not acknowledge a “good morning” if you walk by them and you’re the only person proximate  They keep to themselves, and I haven’t even seen the type I’m describing socialize with other Alaskans very often.  In a way, at least at a campground, it can be unnerving because it’s so much in contrast to the general conviviality of the RV’ers as a group.  But if you think about it, a lot of them are likely the social isolates who build a house at the end of a dirt trail ten miles from the nearest neighbor.  I’d have to say that even a cold Yankee makes these folks look absolutely frigid….  Alaska has great ice cream.  I’ve eaten way too much of it….  And the supermarkets, at least the big chains like Meyer’s and Carr’s, are spectaular, if expensive.  They have mouth-watering bakeries, delicatessans New Yorkers would drool over, top shelf meat departments, and fruit and vegetables from the world over.  Just bring a big-time credit card….  Denali tops all when it comes to prices.  It’s more expensive than the hotel district in Manhattan.  in fairness, like many other areas, they have to make all their money in a four month period, and almst two of those months ain’t all that great either.  Still, you have to behold the prices to appreciate them.  There are no markets where you can buy even hot dogs or hamburger within about 50 miles.  Some people swear this is a conspiracy to force you into a restaurant.  I’m not sure, but the restaurants are doing a good business….  Sticking with Denali for a minute, if you go, and you’re not a real wilderness fan, stay outside the park or at Riley Campground which is just inside the park gates.  Otherwise, you can’t get in or out of the campground where you’re staying for things like rafting, flightseeing, or even going into the park presentations that are held in and around the Visitor’s Center.  The good thing about staying in the park, though, is you can’t get out to fuel the tourist economy mentioned above…..  Yesterday, our guide on the fishing trip was personable, knowledgeable, and patient with his sports. We have been told, however, that “he thinks he owns the river.” Sure enough, we got to see him in action.  Dave was taking a break on the river bank and four guys, who had hiked a couple miles thorugh the brush, and I mean brush, from the sandbar where they had camped the night before, moved into his spot.  The guide immediately confronted them.  In his defense, he was right as fishing ethics go, but his style left more than a bit to be desired.  it never got farther than a shouting match, but the fourth guy who was fishing with us later reassured me greatly by patting his hip and pointing out that he was packing heat….  Alaskan TV does not have as many cartoon channels as Canadian…..  If some of the stuff in this blog tend to the negative, let me assure you that it hasn’t diminished our fun at all…..  And that leads me to friends.  It’s my so-called buddies who are causing me to lose faith in my fellow beings!!!  Buddies all right!  Instead of accepting last evening’s blog at face value, they are demanding PICTURES.  All I can say is, ye of little faith make Doubting Thomas look like a True Believer.  A good story is a good story and the pictures be damned!….  Tomorrow, it’s on to Anchorage where we meet up with Charmi on Wedesday.  I sure hope she recognizes me with my new Mohawk hair cut and sealskin parka to say nothing of my gold tooth and walrus tusk earring….  Hope you all are doing well;  I’m lookin’ great!…