Alaska
What's a trip to the Arctic Ocean without being able to say we stuck out hands in the water? And so we did!
Midnight in Barrow, Alaska. And cold, despite the fact that we were there in late July.
July. Icebergs, Midnight. Sunshine. Satellite dishes pointing down at the ground. Many things seem out of place here :)
Panaromic shot of the Arctic Ocean in Barrow, Alaska.
Barrow, Alaska.
Main Street in Barrow, Alaska. No pavement, no sidewalks, no streetlights. No people out strolling around on a summer evening :)
Out for a quick walk around town to take in all the sights.
This is what the edge of the world looks like. Barrow, Alaska -- the northern most point of the North America continent on the Arctic Ocean. Pretty desolate place.
Nearly 3000 miles from home, it seemed an odd place to start our (summer) vacation but we enjoyed our visit to Barrow.
Almost as close to Moscow as we were to Los Angeles, but no, we could not see Russia from where we were standing :)
What's a trip to the Arctic Ocean without being able to say we stuck out toes in the water? And so we did!
Ed still smiling, even after nearly 24 hours of travel from Los Angeles to Anchorage to Fairbanks to Barrow, and despite the fact that the sun is shining at midnight and itís about 38 degrees in July.
Watching some local boys do a traditional dance at the Inupiat Heritage Center.
Ed "tebowing" on the blue astroturf football field at Barrow HS. Seems silly now but it was quite funny at the time :)
Most kids look for seashells when the go to the beach. Never one to be like all the other kids, Joe was busy collecting whale vertebrae .
"City" might be a strong descriptor of Barrow, Alaska but "Top of the World" is pretty darn accurate.
Whale bones, an enduring symbol of Barrow and also a reminder of just how big they are. Yikes!
Hmmm -- reindeer sausage grinders!
Riverboat cruise along the Chena River in Fairbanks.
Ed is smiling after a good nightís sleep and enjoying our leisurely cruise along the Chena River outside Fairbanks.
Training kennels for 4-time Alaska Iditarod race winner Susan Butcher.
Reindeer games!
Where the clear waters of the Chena River run into the brown, muddy waters of the Tanana River.
The Alaska Pipeline. Much of the pipeline is above ground because it's too cold to bury it in the permafrost.
Panning for gold. Absolutely a lot harder than it either looks or sounds.
Panning for gold! There it is, about 45 minutes later, our total haul for the afternoon is about $35.
The splendor and vastness of Alaska.
One of the old gold mining dredges at historic Dredge #8 (not the most original of names).
Apparently Ed left his razor at home.
Alaska, en route from Fairbanks to Denali National Park.
Stopping roadside just long enough to snap a quick picture.
At the Tanana River in central Alaska, near Denali National Park.
Arriving at the northern border of Denali.
On our first day in Denali, we took a 4-hour ATV trip over some pretty amazing terrain to see parts of the park that few people ever do (but lots of moose and bears do!).
The northern border of Denali NP.
Early on our ATV adventure. How can you tell? Because I'm not covered in mud and dust from head to foot :)
ATV fun in Denali National Park.
Traveling along a dry riverbed with majestic mountains in the background.
