Post-Alaska Ride Thoughts, Factoids, and Recommendations

June 6, 2008

Some Post-Ride Thoughts, Factoids, and Recommendations in No Particular Order:

We took exactly 1,674 digital photographs on this journey. I have tried to describe our travels to the best of my ability given the time constraints available; still, if I showed you each and every photograph and described every event, observation and feeling in detail, you will only have barely sampled the Alaska experience. It is something that you have to experience for yourself.

Interestingly, the number of motorcycles encountered on the Alaskan Highway between the official start at Dawson Creek, and the official end, Delta Junction, far exceeded the number of cars, trucks, motor homes and fifth wheel trailers put together. Apparently, either the excessively high gas prices have forced travelers to a more economical form of transportation, or like us, the Alaska-bound traveler who has shunned the cruise line experience for the open road, believes that the best way to absorb the total Alaskan experience is on the seat of a motorcycle. I couldn’t agree more.

There were for the most part only two makes of motorcycles encountered on the Alaskan Highway, full-dress (Electra Glide, Road Glide and Road King) Harley Davidson’s and BMW’s, mostly the R1200 GS and earlier enduro-types. There was also a smattering of Kawasaki KLR’s.
Surprisingly, we were amazed by the number of bicyclists riding the 1,500 mile long Alaskan Highway. There were sunscreen and Deet soaked couples on tandem bikes, individuals riding in small groups, lone riders, and an inordinate number of college-age lone females. I would not recommend this route for lone female riders. This country is just too remote and fraught with hazards to be riding a bicycle alone. The locals tell me that the bears really appreciate the lone bicycle riders. They consider them "Meals on Wheels."

If planning to stay in hotels or motels along the way, I recommend securing a reservation at your intended destination by no later than 1800 hours (6:00 PM) each day. Although much we have read indicates that getting a room is not a problem, we found that each town and city in Alaska oftentimes has events scheduled through out the summer months, wherein the limited number of hotel rooms quickly fills up. The weekend we were in Anchorage, the largest city, nearly every room was booked. So, plan ahead and get a bed.

If you are contemplating this, or a similar ride, talk to someone who has done it before. It will pay dividends and save you time, money and grief. If you don’t know anyone who has ridden the Alaska Highway, you are welcome to contact me at: jevander@sbcglobal.net.

Make or use an established check list for things to bring on your trip. You don’t want to get a thousand miles from home only to find you left your camera at home. I’ve provided my check list at the end of this post that worked well for us. Feel free to use it, add to it, or delete things as needed.

Make a tentative but flexible plan before you leave for where you want to go, and what you want to see and do. We averaged riding about 350 miles per day and still had time to see a lot of interesting sights.

Don’t plan an Alaskan adventure ride without purchasing a copy of the “Milepost,” book available on line at http://www.themilepost.com/ or at http://www.amazon.com/. It describes various routes to Alaska from the lower 48, mile by mile, including tourist attractions, hotels, campgrounds, and the availability of gas. We used copies of the included “Milepost” maps, which I laminated against the weather. They were dead-on accurate and very detailed.

Speaking of gas, we carried extra gas, but never had to use it. Gas stations are pretty evenly spaced along the Alaskan Highway, about every 90 miles to 150 miles, or so, some more frequently. However, not all stations carry premium gas. Be prepared to use 87 octane, or add octane booster, not readily available en route.

If you are a new, inexperienced or less experienced rider, and not intimately familiar with your motorcycle and its handling characteristics, including how it handles in the rain, I strongly recommend that you do not attempt this ride. The chances of you getting injured and/or your motorcycle getting wrecked are very good. The good news is that you probably won't get lost as long as you stay on the paved roads, there are not that many.

Even as experienced riders we were initially intimidated by the frequent gravel breaks in the highways, some miles long and others only a few yards across. Oftentimes, we slowed to 20 mph to cross them. After doing this for a couple of weeks, I don’t know if it was a case of “familiarity breeds contempt,” or we just got used to them, but on the return trip we were blasting through the gravel breaks at 60 mph. My rationalization was that the faster I went the better my two gyro stabilizers (wheels) steadied my ride in the gravel, probably faulty thinking, but whatever the reason, it turned out alright. Just be careful.

A word about mosquitoes, the "Alaska State Bird," I’m somewhat allergic to mosquito bites and they stick with me for a week to ten days, itching miserably all the time. So, to say that I was concerned about having to deal with the miserable little creatures for three weeks is an understatement.

My solution was simple and involved a month’s preparation. Thirty days before leaving Southern California for Alaska, I began taking Vitamin “B” Complex and un-odorized Garlic capsules, twice a day. It must have been effective because although we were swarmed by mosquitoes on several occasions, particularly during road construction stops in the forested areas, I was not bothered by them. I did get a couple of bites over the course of the trip, but they only itched for about twenty minutes and went away. Only once in Haines Junction did I get nailed pretty good on the forehead, right where my helmet rubs, but it disappeared after about two days. I think they sampled my blood, but didn’t like the taste and chose not to continue filling me with their venomous anti-coagulant. It’s not very scientific, but it worked for me; it may work for you.

On weather and clothes, it will rain during the summer in British Columbia, the Yukon Territory, and Alaska, more so in August and July than June, according to the statistics, but pretty much every afternoon. That’s why it is so lush and green. We did some research and opted for “Tourmaster ” (http://www.tourmaster.com/) insulated, armored and waterproof “Transitions II” textile jackets and “Caliber” textile pants, purchased from Helmet House in Calabassas, Southern California (http://www.helmethouse.com/). Lane used his Harley-Davidson FXRG textile, not leather, jacket and pants with good results. Leave your leather gear at home. When it gets cold, you will get cold. When it gets wet, you will be miserable. You will also need waterproof, not water resistant, boots and gloves. Even after riding for hours in the rain, we never got wet.

We thought long and hard about bringing our lightweight Harley-Davidson rain suits and elected to bring them in addition to our waterproof riding suits. It turned out to be a good decision. We wore them in the rain when it was not cold. It reached into the 80’s in Fairbanks, too warm for heavy riding suits. We also wore the rain suit jackets in town on land excursions from the ferry.

Let’s talk about underwear, no not the black shear lace variety. What does that have to do with riding motorcycles? Everything, if you want to be comfortable and avoid what I like to call “Red Monkey Butt,” or a case of the squirms after eight to ten hours in the saddle. We opted for “LD Comfort” motorcycle riding underwear. They are similar to bicycle riding shorts but without the chamois liner under the private parts. The advantage is that they don’t have seams between your pelvis bones and the motorcycle seat to chafe you and they wash out and dry overnight. You can check them out at: http://www.ldcomfort.com/. They run about $45.00 per pair, but I will not take a long ride without them.

Here's a few thoughts on communication devices. Bike-to-bike communications is not a necessity, but a very good option. It gives one the ability to advise other riders of points of interest, wild animals, road hazards, and necessary food, gas, and comfort breaks. Cellular phone and 911 service is available across many areas of Alaska, especially in the major cities and towns, not so much in British Columbia or the Yukon Territory. We carried a rented satellite telephone on our journey but never had occasion to use it.

Here's my "memory flogger" Alaska Ride Check List:

1. A one or two-man backpacking tent, rain fly, and stakes
2. Axe or hammer.
3. Plastic ground cover for tent
4. 25’– 50’ of light nylon rope or cord
5. Sleeping bag and inflatable pillow
6. Waterproof all-weather riding jacket
7. Waterproof all-weather riding pants
8. Neck gator
9. Heated electric vest
10. Waterproof riding boots
11. Waterproof riding gloves
12. Extra leather riding gloves
13. Rain suit jacket and pants
14. Light-weight riding jacket
15. Extra shoes or hiking boots
16. Binoculars
17. Long-distance riding underwear or bike shorts
18. Insect repellent
19. Ear plugs
20. Sun Glasses and/or Goggles
21. Clear glasses and/or goggles (night riding)
22. Flashlight(s) and extra batteries
23. Full-face or flip-up motorcycle helmet
24. Sunscreen (SPF 30 or above recommended)
25. Bandanas and/or head wraps
26. First-aid kit
27. Motorcycle tools
28. Extra spark plugs
29. Motorcycle tow strap
30. Kick stand base for soft ground
31. Tubeless tire repair kit and inflation bottle
32. Camera and film or PC Cards, batteries or charger
33. Small folding tri-pod for group picture
34. Personal Clothes for at least five days
35. Large motorcycle luggage bag(s) with rain cover(s)
36. Wide brimmed hat or baseball cap
37. Plastic shower shoes or flip-flops
38. Cell phone and 12 volt & AC charging cords
39. Shaving kit and personal toiletries & backpacking towel
40. Extra motorcycle key
41. Water bottle(s)
42. Ratchet type motorcycle tie downs (minimum 2), & nylon strap soft ties for ferry
43. Miscellaneous bungee cords and/or cargo net(s)
44. Windshield & bike cleaner, small M/C duster, and small towel(s)
45. Small folding camp stool or chair
46. Credit card(s) & cash
47. Any daily medications
48. Western United States, Western Canada, and State of Alaska road maps
49. Current motorcycle registration
50. Proof of insurance and letter from M/C insurer for Canadian Customs
51. Motorcycle cover
52. O.C. Bear Spray
53. A sturdy folding knife
54. One 30 oz. or two 20 oz. MSR fuel bottles
55. Wooden matches in a waterproof container.
56. Extra zip-lock and plastic bags
57. Carabineers for securing things to self and luggage
58. Gas siphon pump and hose
59. A strong sense of adventure, boldness, camaraderie, and curiosity
60. Friends to share the experience

This list is by no means comprehensive, in any particular order of importance, or tailored to any individual. It is only intended to be a list of items that may be considered essential and/or optional for successful cross-country motorcycle touring to Alaska. Your individual needs may vary.

I hope you find this information helpful.

Day Twenty Four - Sacramento to Santa Claria

Day 24 – June 29, 2008

On the final day of our 6,700 mile motorcycle journey to Alaska and back, we departed Sacramento at 0900 hours and headed south on Interstate 5 through the San Joaquin Valley. The temperature was a comfortable 75 degrees.

California’s Interstate 5 is a great freeway for making good time, as it’s posted at 70 mph for the most part, and it bypasses nearly every town, hamlet and village in the state, with exception of only the largest cities. We were driving about 75 mph and were still being passed by just about every vehicle on the road except for the largest semi-trucks and motor homes.

I have to tell you, Huell Houser will never do a California’s Gold feature on Interstate 5, nor will Fodors ever publish a travel guide for the route. It’s just plain boring, mile after mile, unless you are an agricultural aficionado where you are excited about watching grape vines, corn, cotton and rice growing. It is however California’s food belt and we’re lucky to have it.

As the afternoon wore on, the temperature surpassed the one hundred degree mark. Fortunately, the smoke of the previous day had dissipated to a typical San Joaquin Valley summer afternoon haze.

It’s important to understand that on long motorcycle rides, especially on hot afternoons, you can become incredibly dehydrated at an amazing rate. You just can’t seem to drink enough water to overcome it. There are now food servers from here to Alaska and back wondering how four people can possibly go through so many pitchers, not glasses, of water at a single sitting.

Just about the time we were ready to wilt from the heat we arrived at Harris Ranch, like an oasis in the desert, where we sought cool refuge and a fine lunch in the hotel dining room. The Harris Ranch facility itself is strictly first cabin, but the location is strongly announced miles away by one’s olfactory sense. The stock yards are way too close and the one hundred degree steer manure is not something to soon be forgotten.

The last 150 miles over the Grape Vine pass was its usual hectic pace trying to avoid being run over by the semi-trucks, motor homes, and travelers suffering from the typical Sunday afternoon “got-to-get-home-itis” syndrome. We arrived in Santa Clarita at 1700 hours (5:00 PM) to warm but clear skies. We snapped a couple of quick arrival photos and thirty minutes later I was soaking in the spa with a cold one.

It’s difficult to say goodbye to friends that you have just spent 24 hours a day with over the past 24 days, but I’m happy to report that after three weeks of riding 6,700 miles together, four days and 1,500 miles on the ferry together, and 72 meals together, we’re still all friends and looking forward to another ride together.

I would be remiss if I didn’t give special recognition to Sylvia, the Highway Princess, and our only female rider. While the Three Amigos motored along on their full-dress Electra-glides with built-in windshields, full bat-wing and lower fairings, hard saddle bags and tour packs, radios & CD players, and cruise control managing the throttle chores, Sylvia rode the 6,700 miles on her “Harley Low Rider” with only a windshield, soft saddle bags and a Nano I-Pod to keep her company. And, although she was chilled to the bone on at least three occasions, she never complained about anything. I even overheard her say to one of the several people we met on the road who was interested in our journey, "that riding in the rain almost everyday isn’t so bad.” We are very proud of Sylvia. Way to go Highway Princess, glad to have you along!

And, thanks to you to all of you who logged on and followed our journey. Your comments were appreciated and we hope you enjoyed our commentary and photos.

Until then, “Ride Safe.” (I know, it’s grammatically incorrect, but it’s a universally understood salutation by bikers everywhere.)

Sincerely,

“The Horck”

Day Twenty Three - Roseburg, OR to Sacramento, CA

Day 23 – June 28, 2008

We were up at 0700 hours (7:00 AM) today, and had breakfast at the adjacent Shari’s Restaurant, similar to a CoCo’s restaurant in California. Our waitress was way too cheery for first thing in the morning. So, we ordered two cups of what ever she was drinking just to get started. We hit Interstate 5 south by 0900 hours.

Before too long, we began to smell and see the first signs of the multiple fires burning in northern and central California. As we continued south, the smoke became heavier and the sky became darker with a thick smog-like haze. We didn’t even bother to get our cameras out for any “from the saddle pictures” today.

By the time we crossed the Oregon/California border the smoke was so bad that we donned our bandanas to filter out the smoke now coming down like snow, but more sinister, and apparently intent upon entering our lungs. The Three Amigos and the Highway Princess now looked more like the Four Banditos.

The smoke precluded us from taking any pictures as we entered the normally picturesque Shasta National Forest and crossed the long bridge over one arm of the lake. Although the lake level was down considerably and the temperatures were nearly unbearable at ninety five degrees, a few die hards were still boating in the smoke and heat.

One could still see Mt. Shasta with it’s smattering of remaining winter snow and a few white billowy clouds surrounding its summit, but somehow it was just not the same through the thick blanket of smoke. How we longed to back in Alaska with its crystal clear blue morning skies and sixty degree temperatures.

We pressed on toward our destination for the evening, Sacramento, CA., arriving around 1730 hours amid clearing skies. We opted for the Best Western Sandman Hotel, walking distance to Old Town on Richards Blvd., were we assisted by the very charming and able clerks Christina and Patty.

We wasted no time unpacking the bikes (we’re getting pretty expert at packing and unpacking by now after 23 days of this) and hitting the hotel pool and spa for a well deserved dunk before getting cleaned up and heading for dinner. After the refreshing swim we walked the short fifteen minutes to Old Town on the Sacramento River for a crab dinner at Joe’s Crab Shack. No luck, it was a ninety minute wait for dinner. So, we headed for Fulton’s downstairs restaurant for their famous prime rib dinner, “Closed for Remodeling.” We finally ended up at Fat City Bar & Cafe—no waiting. Fortunately, dinner was good. A hungry man is a grumpy man.

We had a nice treat right after dinner while searching for an open ice cream store at 2215 hours, a fireworks display. It made for some interesting snapshots, especially the reflection off the adjacent glass building. We never did find an open ice cream store, so we headed home and called it a night, except for me who stayed up way too late posting yesterday’s blog and photos.

Tomorrow it’s the home stretch, Sacramento to Santa Clarita, approximately 350 miles, presumably an easy day. Today was another 450 mile day.

Day Twenty Two - Bellingham,WA to Roseburg, OR

Day 22 – June 27, 2008

We arrived in Belingham, WA. aboard the “Columbia” at 0700 Alaska time (0800 Washington time) this morning to clear skies and 80 degree temperatures, a banner weather day for otherwise cloudy Washington state. We bid our waiter "Robb" farewell and schlepped our luggage back down to the lower car deck where we spent considerable time un-securing our motorcycles from the steel deck. I’m happy to report that our efforts to secure them several days ago paid dividend; they suffered no damage. Our biggest challenge today was where to secure our bulky cold weather gear that we had been wearing for the majority of the trip. Thank Harley-Davidson for their six-hook cargo nets. I believe that one could just about secure anything to a motorcycle with cargo net. One look at Sylvia’s back seat and fender will confirm my suspicions.

We were previously warned that the Bellingham police like to stake out the ferry terminal road with radar guns for those errant drivers who may be somewhat overzealous to return to the highway. So, we enjoyed a leisurely pace to nearby Interstate 5 where we got gas and continued our journey south toward Seattle. WA.

About thirty minutes later we stopped in Mt.Vernon, WA., where we met Sylvia’s brother John, who is in the Navy, and his son Johnny at Steel Dreams, an large Honda Motorcycle, Big Dog, Vespa and Piaggio scooter dealer and restaurant. They even sold lawnmowers and portable generators, go figure. It was a nice spacious store though, and the food was good and generous.

Continuing south on Interstate 5 through Seattle we had clear sailing to Centralia where we met my sister Cherie and two of her daughters, Stephanie and Rebecca, who reside there, for soft drinks and a long overdue conversation. It’s always nice to see family that one has not seen for some time.

Back down Interstate 5 we crossed the Columbia River arriving in Oregon and on to Portland. Once again, we managed to enter a major city at rush hour, 1700 hours (5:00 PM). It took us ninety minutes to travel 20 miles through Portland. What a rude reminder of what commuter traffic is like. There are no rush hours in the State of Alaska, no congested freeways, and no rude drivers that we encountered during our travels.

We pressed on into the evening finally stopping at Cottage Grove, OR. for supper at Stacy’s Covered Bridge Restaurant in the heart of town on Main Street. Our goal was to always try to sample local dining establishments on our trip. Stacy’s was no exception. Our first positive clue was that they had while linen table clothes and a full bar, both good signs. We were not disappointed. Dinner was excellent and the help was friendly and accommodating. We recommend Stacy’s Covered Bridge Restaurant in Cottage Grove. Cottage Grove touts their town as an All-American Town. True to tradition, as we dined the locals were lining up along Main Street for the annual Electric Light Parade. It was like children waiting for Santa Claus at Christmas. It was truly an American small-town event, anxiously awaited by all.

With our two family visits and losing ninety minutes to traffic congestion in Portland, we had to bend one of our pre-ride agreements, no night riding. We rode at night for about thirty minutes to Roseburg, OR., where we “camped out” at the new Motel 6 in town. I don’t recommend riding motorcycles at night in deer and Elk country. We did see a deer adjacent to the road just before sunset. Fortunately, all is well that ends well and we survived the ride without incident.

We rode nearly 450 miles today. Tomorrow we have to contend with the increasing heat and smoke from the reported 800 California wildfires.

Day Twenty One - At Sea, Inside Passsage

Day Twenty One – June 26, 2008

We’re at sea all day today. So, we took the opportunity to sleep in for a change. The first half of the day was spent under overcast skies on a generally southern serpentine course among the hundreds of tree covered islands and rock outcroppings that comprise the deep-channel Inside Passage carved out by glaciers so many eons ago.

About noon, we left the protected waters of the Inside Passage and entered the open ocean of Queen Charlotte Sound. The overcast lowered to create a light fog with about five miles visibility. The “Columbia" is making a slow but steady 17.5 knots, and the sea is calm making for a very pleasant ride.

About two and half hours after entering the open ocean, we crossed the Alaska/Canada territorial waters boundary and re-entered the Inside Passage through Queen Charlotte Straights. Vancouver Island is on our starboard (right) side and the Canadian mainland is on the port side (left),”Eh.”

Naturalist “Brett” made a short presentation on glaciers. I won’t bore you with the details, but here’s the Reader’s Digest version: Their big; they’re old; they’re made of compacted snow and ice; they trap air from when they were formed dating back thousands of years to the Pleistocene Age; they create round-floor valleys and cast off debris as they scrape the mountain sides bare; they can move boulders the size of houses, and they can move from a few centimeters a day to several hundred yards a day. As the glaciers break off at their terminus, the process is called “calving.” Only the blue spectrum of color refracts through them, and they are receding as the Earth warms. There, now you know as much about glaciers as I do. Go impress you friends.

We took in a short film on Tlingit native culture in the afternoon and enjoyed an all-you-can–eat buffet dinner in the evening consisting of baron of beef, ham, lasagna, Swedish meatballs, baked Salmon, roasted chicken, two soups, eight salads and a dozen different deserts. I think I tried them all. Has anybody seen the Zantac?

We met a nice couple on the ship, Garry McCrary and his wife Gail. Garry is a lieutenant with the Sitka Police Department, and his lovely wife Gail is a recently retired school teacher. We vowed to exchange police shoulder patches when we get home.

There is another interesting difference between the ferry and a cruise ship. On the ferry, people are allowed to sleep just about everywhere, including pitching their tents on the aft deck, secured with duct tape. They sleep in the movie room, in the forward lounge, and just about anywhere there is a room for a sleeping bag. They even have lounge chairs under a heated solarium overhead. Not exactly first-class, but well attended by the back-pack and saltine cracker crowd. We roughed it in our cabins.

Some of us got a lot of reading done on this leg of the journey. We concluded the evening in the lounge, what a surprise. Well, what did you expect? It’s not like they have a night club, disco, bowling alley, rock climbing wall or shopping mall on the ferry. This isn’t exactly the “Columbia Princess,” you know.

Here's the Jack Daniels update: We’ve managed to kill our fourth bottle of Jack Daniels this afternoon. It’s a good thing we have another one.

Day Twenty - At Sea, Inside Passage, Ketchikan,AK

Day Twenty – June 25, 2008

We awoke to continued calm seas on Wednesday morning, temperatures between 50 and 55 degrees, and overcast skies, with intermittent drizzle. It’s a typical summer day in southeastern Alaska.

We slept through two ports of call last night, Petersburg at midnight and Wrangell at 0415 hours. Unlike cruise ships, the ferry does not plan its port stops for the pleasure of the traveling tourist or the souvenir vendor. The ferry’s job is to transport people, vehicles, and goods up and down the Inside Passage on a regular schedule. It’s a work horse, not a show pony. There is no formal black-tie or theme dinners, no baked Alaska deserts, no live entertainment, or over-priced prom-like pictures for seniors who will never look at them again after they get home from their cruise.

We did enjoy one port stop today however. We arrived in Ketchican, AK. at 1130 hours with a five-hour layover in town. Before disembarking into the rain, Lane made reservations with Alaska Seaplane Tours for him, Tim and Sylvia to take a float plane ride to the Misty Fjords National Monument. I had previously experienced the Misty Fjords float plane tour, so I elected to go into town and shop instead. Their driver “Taylor” picked us all up at the ferry terminal in a van and took us directly to the airplane. I walked into town from there. The trio enjoyed a great one and a half hour ride to the Fjord in a bright yellow (easily located when crashed on snow & ice, pun intended) 1966 Cessna 185 Skywagon on floats piloted by Ryan McCue, pilot and president of Alaska Seaplane Tours. The cost of the flight for the three passengers was $600, including two water landings.

The good folks at Alaska Seaplane Tours took pity on us walking the 2 ½ miles from town back to the ferry in the late afternoon rain and gave us a ride in their van. Thanks Loren, Ryan’s wife, and Taylor, Loren’s sister, a medical school student working the summer before returning to school, all very nice people. Alaska Seaplane Tours can be contacted at: www.alaskaseaplanetours.com/. Give them a call if you are in the neighborhood and in the market for a seaplane ride.

After the seaplane ride we all met up and went to the local Harley-Davidson T-shirt store near the cruise ship docks where Tim and Sylvia succumbed to the illness and bought another T-shirt. Later, we had a nice lunch at Steamers, an upstairs restaurant overlooking the docks. There were three cruise ships in port today, from Princess, Holland America, and Celebrity cruise lines. Cruising is huge business in Alaska, and business was good in Ketchican today.

We spent the remainder of the afternoon roaming through the dozens of shops along the docks, and Ketchican’s famous Creek Street that once contained a string of bordellos during its heyday. One, “Dolly’s House,” has been restored and features a museum as a tribute to the oldest profession.

It rained on us all afternoon in Ketchican and didn’t stop until we departed at 1730 (5:30 PM) hours for Bellingham, WA. 37 hours away.

Day Nineteen - At Sea, Inside Passage & Sitka, AK

Day 19 – June 24, 2008

It’s Tuesday and we’re still sailing south through the very scenic Tongass National Forest on the Inside Passage aboard the Alaska state ferry “Columbia.”

After breakfast we attended a talk by the on-board US Forest Service naturalist, “Brett,” on Alaskan Bears, both Black and Brown. Polar bears also inhabit Alaska, but only in the farthest northern regions of Arctic tundra and ice.

Specifically, Brett’s discussion dealt with the reputation of Alaskan bears. Is their reputation much maligned, or are they in fact vicious creatures looking to devour man at every turn? The answer may be both; however, in most instances bears, whether Black or Brown, really want nothing to do with humans, but they are always looking for food. They only have five or six months of the year to pack on several hundred pounds of fat to see them through six or seven months of winter hibernation. So, don’t look or smell like food.

Bears don’t like surprises. Most bear attacks on humans are the result of humans startling bears during a chance encounter. Most often, bears will give warning of an impending attack by showing stress, oftentimes by grunting, salivating, and making false charges. Brent’s best advice is too puff up and make yourself look as big as possible and talk calmly to the bear while slowly backing away. In most instances, this will result in the bear losing interest and leaving, according to the naturalist. He also advised that bear OC spray is also a good deterrent if push comes to shove. We stocked up on bear spray before leaving home.

If actually attacked by a Brown bear, roll up and play dead, if attacked by a Black back, always fight back, according to Brett. So, it’s important to be able to tell the difference between a Black and a Brown bear—read on my friends. My personal advice is to avoid bears altogether.

We also learned that Kodiak and Grizzly bears are in fact both Brown Bears, and only their geographical location sets them apart from the ordinary Brown Bear. Furthermore, one can tell a Black Bear from a Brown Bear, not by their color, but by their snout, back and claws, if you want to get that close. The Black Bear is a climber with short claws. It has a face like a Collie with a straight line from its forehead to the end of its nose. Whereas, the Brown Bear is a digger with large strong forearms, long claws, and a distinct snout protruding from its face more like a Labrador retriever. The Brown Bear also has distinct hump on the back between the shoulder blades. Both Black and Brown Bears can be black, brown, sandy colored, and even a shade of blue in some remote regions. That’s probably more than you wanted to know about Alaskan bears, but I had to write it down before I forgot it, so please “bear” with me.

The bear presentation reminded me of a story I heard while conducting research for this trip. It discussed the importance of wearing bear bells while hiking in the forest to alert bears of your presence, and to always carry bear OC spray. Equally important was the ability to distinguish Black Bear scat (poop) from Brown/Grizzly Bear scat. It is said that Black Bear scat is filled with nuts and berries and smells like nectar, while Brown/Grizzly Bear scat is full of bear bells and smells like pepper. I think it was a joke, I hope.

During the bear presentation, the otherwise attentive crowd suddenly got to their feet and shouted “Whale.” A large (aren’t they all?) Humpback whale was passing northbound directly adjacent to the starboard (right) side of the ship. It was a truly magnificent sight. It’s not uncommon to see whales on this journey, but to see one so close to the ship was a real treat. The naturalist told us that the Alaskan Humpback whales winter in the Hawaiian Islands and migrate back to the food-rich Alaskan feeding grounds in the summer. The fasted documented return trip from Hawaii to Alaska by a Humpback whale is 28 days. That’s a pretty good pace. We also saw a pod of porpoise approaching the ship, but it was somewhat anticlimactic after the whale sighting.

We made port in Sitka, AK. at 1100 hours for a short three-hour visit, not to be confused with a three-hour cruise, ala Gilligan’s Island. Sitka was the former Russian capital of Alaska before the US purchased it in a move known as Seward’s Ice Box, or Seward’s Folly. The Russians found that Sitka was a rich hunting ground for the prized Sea Otter that had been nearly hunted to extinction in Russia for their pelts. There is still a strong Russian influence in Sitka, with street names, businesses, and curios. There is also an impressive Russian Orthodox Church in the center of town, as well as the Sitka Pioneers Home, probably the largest building in all of Sitka, resembling a large hotel.

Another interesting relic of old Sitka is the reconstructed Fort Tower where the Russians defended their claim to Sitka against the indigenous Tlingit people in a series of fierce battles, which initially drove the Russians out of Sitka. Two years later the Russians returned with a superior force and cannons to reclaim their ill-gotten possession.

Also during the naturalist's presentation, we traversed the Sergius Narrows, where one could nearly reach out and touch the trees going past the ship on either side. The naturalist explained that the three hour layover in Sitka was necessary because of the tides. Apparently, the tides flow through the Sergius Narrows with such velocity, oftentimes exceeding eight knots, that it is not safe to navigate a large ship through the narrows except during times of slack tide where the tide is neither coming in nor going out. Whatever the reason, we appreciated the three hour layover in Sitka.

The naturalist also brought our attention to a small island approaching on the port (left) side of the Narrows where he said the only Pink Flamingos in Alaska are known to exist. The group crowded the port side windows to get a look at such a rare sight. The Naturalist snickered to himself as the island came to bear. There in the tallest tree on the island was a “family” of plastic Pink Flamingos. He got us good on that one.

Some of the passengers were grousing about the low clouds and light rain today. The naturalist replied that, “There is no bad weather in Alaska, only bad gear. So, only your jackets should get dampened, not your spirit.” We should all have such a positive attitude.

We finished the evening aboard the “Columbia” with a nice dinner and after-dinner drinks in the lounge with “Tony," our favorite and only bartender. Although tipping is not allowed on the state owned and operated ferry, we left a few dollars for Tony's disposition. He said," Thanks, I do a lot of work with un-wed mothers," with a wink of an eye. I'm not sure what that meant and I didn't inquire further.

As we travel farther south, the days are beginning to get shorter. We actually saw our first sunset before midnight in two weeks.