Another bea-u-ti-ful day. So much so that I have a slight sun burn even with block 50 on.  Guess I was out longer than I thought. 

 

When back to Chiniak today for a look around rather than just the drive.  The restaurant ...Road's End...was open but no pie   So I just had a burger after my hike.

 

O.K. so the road to Chiniak is a dirt road that gets worse and worse the farther you travel into Chinook and away from the city of Kodiak.  On the map it describes a part of the road as unmaintained and unsuitable for vehicles. Unfortunately they don't tell you where this unmaintained part of the road begins, so you just have to guess...well at least I have t guess.  So as the road narrowed and became more pothole infested I made a command decision that this was the definition of unmaintained and unsuitable so I found a place to park and set off on foot. 

 

After about 1/2 hour following this road and trying to avoid some of the biggest puddles I have ever seen in a road I came upon a lake which was separated from the ocean by a small strip of grassy land and a little beach. The road came even smaller and very close to the lake's edge.  I heard what sounded like a car so stopped to listen.  The local will drive just about anywhere it seems.  To my surprise a tow truck emerges from the woods.  I stay put because there is nowhere for me to go to get out of the way except for where I am currently standing.

 

The truck passes me and I follow along behind. I have no idea where the road will end up. I turn a corner and see the tow truck backed up to the edge of what looks like a beach.  I walk on past onto the beach.  So this tow truck is here to help this guy get his Ford Explorer out of the sand.   It didn't take long but boy did this guy look embarrassed. 

 

I walked the beach and explored the tide pools.  Then I went looking for the World War II bunkers.  And found about 4. I also saw some of the most beautiful coastline oh and Puffins Tried to get a picture of them but don't think I was successful.

 

Trying to book a kayaking tour for Saturday.

Whoo hoo  ....Sunshine on my shoulder makes me happy....

O.k. I'm channeling John Denver but when you climb a mountain and watch an eagle soar it sort of happens.

 

Today was an absolutely amazing day here in Kodiak. The sun was shining the sky was blue. I was in short sleeves at one point but that was more caused by the uphill climb than the actual temperature.

 

I hiked up Barometer Mountain today. Not all the way to the top because I couldn't figure out how I would climb down and I didn't want to get hurt out by myself. So I opted out of reaching the summit.  But I was high enough to see all the way to Long Island which is the farthest Island within view of Kodiak. 

 

It was a challenging climb but the view was worth it.  It was so cool to have lunch and watch the eagle glide on the warm up drafts.

July 25, 6:30 ish

 

Well it was a mixed bag today.  I got started just after lunch to explore the last main road of the island, Anton Larson Road also known as the Pass.  This road is paved for the first 3 miles and then becomes a hardpacked dirt road similar to the Chiniak Highway.  The pavement ends just after the golf course.  The pass brings you to Anton Larson Bay where you can hire a boat to go fishing or to take you to a village located on the otherside of the island called Port Lions. 

 

While hiking I saw signs of deer but no bears.  As well as a few rabbits.  At one point I followed a four wheeler trail which eventually turned into a smaller trail.  At times it was challenging to find the trail but a little hunting got me back on the right path.  This time I wasn't soaked from head to toe due to the rain but I was wet from the knees down from all the water on the underbrush.  My shoes proved to be more water resistent this time out. Although I did get muddy...very muddy.  My pants are a fun shade of brown from the knee down. Thank goodness I can do laundry.

 

After a few hours strolling through the woods I packed up and headed back. Hopefuly tomorrow will sunny and I can climb Barometer Mountain.  It is basically a hike straight up. The view should be quite impressive.

 

 

Well it was pretty foggy this morning. We couldn't see Near Island. But suddenly around 11 am the fog broke and so did the rain.  Whoo hoo.  It was overcast but no rain So I jumped at the chance to get outside without rain gear.

 

I walked over the bridge to Near Island and down to the boat yard to watch the fishing boats.  Later I decided to walk up Pillar Mountain.  There is an unpaved road that winds it was to the top.  I made it about 3/4 of the way up but headed back down once I cold no longer see the road ahead.  It was kinda of neat to watch the fog/clouds roll in around me.  It had a dreamlike feel ...there were puffs of white mist that just floated by. Everything sort of shimmered around you as though it might actually vanish..wish I guess it did once the fog settled.

 

Debbie was able to fly out today.  I rode with her to the airport so I could bring her car back to the house.  Once she was aboard I headed out.  I noticed something I haven't seen in a few days     you guesses it a blue sky, so I had to follow it. I drove 30 miles from Kodiak city to Chiniak.  As I turned onto Chiniak highway I was met by a herd of cows.  Yes I said cows. Not you average Jersey black & white cows but more longhorned shaggy cows. If I hadn't been driving  would have taken a picture. The cows did well obeying the rules of the road they stayed to the right.  A few hundred feet later the pavement ended.  Now this is still the "highway" a dirt highway but a highway.  The farther I followed this bumpy dirt road the brighter the sky became.  I actually saw sun.    The coastline here continues to amaze me.  I found a restaurant along this highway called Road's End, but unfortunately it was closed.

 

I am hoping that the weather continues to improve. I have one more road to drive down and I can say that I have covered all of the highways of Kodiak. 

July 22,  at about 10:00 p.m.

 

 

It seems that I have been experiencing unusual weather patterns here in Kodiak.  The rain continues I have almost forgotten what the sun looks like.  Yesterday was a day spent mostly indoors, somehow I pulled something in my shoulder/neck and cannot -could not- turn my head without significant discomfort.  So I spent the day sharing Betts' heating pad and talking about everything under the sun while half watching the RedSox get whooped by the Mariners.  Later we watched the movie the Rookie so we are pretty much baseballed out. Wally, Deb's dad, was supposed to fly in from Anchorage today, but they need 2 miles of visibility to land and they didn't have it so the plane was diverted to Homer for refueling.  And a possible re-attempt, but the weather has not cleared so they flew back to Anchorage and Wally is hopefully coming in on the morning plane.

 

Lyle and Corky had their Sunday hike today. They have no regard for the weather. Debbie calls these little excursions "The Forced March."

 

I decided to go along again. Well it was raining pretty hard in the city of Kodiak and even worse by the time we reached the "end of the road" down by Barry Lagoon and the Kodiak Lanch Complex.  I dressed in as many layers as I could, put on my waterproof (a questionable description) hiking shoes, water resistent windbreaker and hat. W droe until the paved road ended then turned off onto a dirt road with lots of big puddles and pot holes.  We stopped on a muddy slope near a beach where we looked for fossils. Saw a bunch in the clif face and found a few in the sand and soft mud.  The beach was a dark black and gray colored sand. You could see a line in the cliff face that showed the layer of ash that once covered the island in 1912.  The wind just whipped the rain at you and caused the ocean waves to travel farther up the beach as they crashed. The storm had chrned the seas so much that there were huge piles of seaweed all along the beach.  Lyle commented that it would be pretty nasty here once the sun came out and the flies converged on the decomposing seaweed.  -Yuck

 

We did spot some reasonably fresh bear tracks but saw no bears. We saw plenty of bald eagles and a large doe.

 

After the beach we walked along the "old" road toward the launch site.  Sorry no pictures the rain was coming so hard I didn't want to take the camera out.  But there was a lone approximately 75 feet building that Lyle said opened up to reveal rockets. Under the building was a hole about 100 feet deep that held water whih the rockets turned into steam during liftoff. 

 

We walked along the ridge for a whie with the wind at out backs. The ground was soaked. My waterproof shoes proved to be falsely advertized, but I was wearing double thick wool socks so my feet were wet but not cold.  We traveled up a hill and through a valley a few times following small game trails that sometimes required pushing your way through the spruce.  You learn quickly not to follow to closely unless you enjoy getting a face full of prickily spruce needles from a swinging branch.  We walked al the way to an old World War II bunker and had a snack.  I had coffee in a mug just to hold something warm.  I wasn't cold until we stopped moving.  After a short break we were off again headed back to the truck.  I was all turned around and never would have found the truck on my own.  Although I didn't feel too badly since Lyle and Corky had had a conversation earlier on the hike about which way south was.  They had to take out the GPS tracker.

 

The final two hills back to the truck were basically all mud.  Luckily no one lost their footing coming down the first one.  Corky was having a little trouble going up the last one ...he'd take a step and just slide back down to almost where he started ... 2 steps up one slide back.  I thought he might slide into me and then we'd both end up in a muddy pile at the bottom, so I made my way up the other left side of the trail ... it was a little on the wet side with water running down but not as muddy as the side Corky was struggling with. Soon we were back at the truck with the heat blasting.  I think Lyle was concerned about my slightly blue tipped fingers. My only concern during theses "marches" is that I don't slow them down at all.  I do my best to keep up and not complain.

 

If I haven't mentioned it before...Corky is a very nice and unique individual.  If anyone watches "King f the Hill"  When Corky talks it reminds me of Bomehower ..so I only realy get about 3/4 of what he is sayng ...

and he is a tad bit hard of hearing oh and did I mention he has no periferal vision.  He is sweet he shares his biscuits with salmonberry jelly and candy bars with me.  

 

 

July 21  ... 10:30 p.m.

 

Oh what a world it would be.    Yes it is still raining.  Funny thing I seem to be handling it better than the locals. They are about ready to revolt.  The golf tournament was postponed until next Saturday.  Today had a bit of a lie in.  It looked cold and gloomy out so I went back to sleep. 

 

I know everyone back home is tired of the heat...so feel free to send it west and north. Let the sun dancing commence.   Supposedly the low pressure system will be moving out soon.  But who knows.  I have been playing a lot of scrabble with Debbie and her friends. I have consistently come in last. These ladies are cut throat. I have learned that qat is an acceptable scrabble word as it xylyl.  Who knew.  You can't use proper nouns but you can use words from other languages.  Bizarre

 

Okay so today's adventure began with Friday lunch with the girls at Henry's.  Then Betts lent me her car and I drove back to Fort Abecrombie to visit the military museum.  The museum is set right in an ammunicians bunker.  It was small which is a common theme among the cities museums.  The admissions was $3.00 which is also a commoninalty among the museums.  There were lots of maps and recovered artifacts from the area from World War II.  Most of the artifacts were severly rusted due to the highly moist climate up here.  They did have an operational ambulance and jeep as well as some field radios and a telegraph machine.  Unfortunately even with reading every exhibits descriptions the entire museum visit took about an hour.

 

So I went for a joy ride in Betts' car. I drove back down to Monashka Bay to where the road ends.  I have always wanted to go to "where the sidewalk ends". No I can say that I have.  With the weather ... at times I could only see the road a few feet in front of me due to the fog.  I stopped at an overlook we had visited last Saturday and could not even see the ocean the fog was so thick.

 

I drove around town and ended up at safeway-the grocery store. Believe it or not Wal-Mart has made it all the way to Kodiak.  A 12 pack of soda which they call 'pop' costs almost $7.00. And Newman's lemonade is almost $4.00 per 1/2 gallon.

 

I remain hopeful that the weather will break and summer will arrive.

 

About 10:30 a.m.

 

It is raining to beat the band !      The wind is blowing so hard it makes the rain crash against the windows. This was the first night I has trouble sleeping. The wind and rain pounding against the windows at odd intervales kept waking me up.  I think today will be a stay at the house day.  Yesterday I went to the movie theatre and saw the only movie playing, "Pirates of the Carribean". Which was enjoyable except for the parts that made me jump.   

 

Hopefully the sun will come back soon. It is challenging to do outdoor activities when the weather is less than cooperative.  Still 2 weeks to go so hopefully Kodiak will cooperate. I want to go kayaking and take a ride on a float plane.  Debbie knows a few pilots and will make a recommendation but she will not divulge any names until the weather clears. Its as though she doesn't trust me.     

 

The main talk of the town is how late the fish are this season.  But with all the rain lately they have finally arrived and there is much rejoicing.  About 10 days late has been the talk.

 

We have king salmon and moose roast for dinner last night.  My list of exotic foods keeps growing. Maybe I will be able to try some Caraboo too.   

4:15 p.m.

 

It's raining it's ...well not pouring but raining.  I should probably sing ...it's misting and drizzling.  But I have been told if I wait for it to not be raining I may be waiting my entire vacation. So I said o.k. the plan was t walk to Fort Abercrombie and check out the trails...so I did. 

 

I headed down Rezanof Road. It wasn't raining or misting.  It took me about an hour to reach Abercrombie Road. I walked around the Lake that I am pretty sure is called Lake Gertrude. The State stocks the lake with rainbow trout.  Only a few fishermen were out braving the weather.  It was about 51 again today.  I walked round and saw the sights. I am still amazed by the shoreline here. All the beaches are made up of smooth black stones and rather steep cliffs There are only a few places where anyone cold possibly land a boat.

 

Fort Abercrombie was used in World War II as a defensive site for American and Canadian troops.  I am told that 50,000. troops were stationed here.  The U.S. Government believed that the Japanses might launch a direct attack against the our country and wanted to be prepared. No attack came so the guns at Fort Aercrombie just had a lot of practice shooting.

 

The walk back was a little wetter than the walk down.  As the mist had changed into actual rain, but luckily it was not too heavy.  It was cold enough to see your breathe as you walked.  Upon my return a nice hot shower helped me to feel human again.

10:50 p.m.

 

Today was a quiet day.  It was about 51 degrees so I am wearing several layers today.  Thank goodness for my pink fleece (Thanks to my group!!) . It has been raining off and on all day today.  It is mostly a fine mist. If you have ever been to Ireland you will know what I am refering to.  As the day progressed you could watch the clouds roll in and slowly settle on the mountains and hills.  Normally you can see clear cross the channel to the mountains in the distance of Woody and Long Island from Debbie's deck, but not today. Today you could barely see Near Island.

 

It was a lazy day no long hikes into the wilderness. Today I went to one of the 3 museums in the city. The Baranov Museum.  Similar to the Alutiqu museum in size and scope (2 rooms and a gift shop) 

 

There was a display of some stuffed Kodiak bears and a fox, some whale bones, and a few artifacts.  The museum is housed in the oldest Russian era structure known as the Erskine House.  There were basically two rooms. One was a living room setup and the other was a kitchen.  There was also a small room of Alutiqu baskets. The really interesting part was a small set of photobooks that detailed Kodiak's history.  There were photos from all different era. You could flip through books about "bush" pilots and see what the really early float boats looked like.  You had to be pretty daring to ride in those things.  There was history about the first settlement and the Tsunami of 1964. The Tsunami in Kodiak is similiar to the Blizzard of '78.  Everyone has a story about it.  The photobook had pictures of St Paul harbor before and after the Tsunami. It was pretty amazing to see all the damage. The city of Kodiak was mostly by the harbor so the wave took ot most of the town.

 

Tomorrow is supposed to be rainy, and Wednesday, and Thursday...the newspaper is teasing us with a forecast of 64 and partly sunny on Friday...the weather channel is saying rain until next Wednesday.  Eegads!  Rain or no rain I am going to walk down to Fort Abercrombie and check out the hiking trails. So there will be more pictures of trees and coastline. 

 

Teddy wants a bear picture...I'll see what I can do. We may go down to Chiniak this weekend ...there have been some recent bear sightings down there. 

3:30 p.m.

 

Today is Sunday.  Deb's dad Wally is heading to Anchorage today.

Lyle was going hiking with his friend and Judo instructor, Corky.  Lyle invited me to come along . We left about 9:30 a.m. We stopped at Amanda's house (Lyle & Debbe's daughter) to pick up Axel.  Axel is a 2 1/2 year old bull dog, who thinks he is a lap dog.  Then we drove to Corky's house.   We drove down Rezanof Drive which changes it name, after a bend in the road, to Monashka Road. We drove until the road literally ended.   

 

We donned our backpacks and headed out.  Axel took the lead bounding ahead of us then turning around and charging back. He would just barrel right past you trying to get out in front again. I got in the habit of stopping and waiting when I heard him coming up from the rear. thump thump pant pant jingle jingle kaboom

 

We took the ocean view trail. This trail started off with a steep climb up. I was breathing pretty hard by the time we reached the top. I didn't want to slow anyone down. I was a little relived to realize that both Lyle and Corky were breathing pretty hard themselves and they go  hikng together every Sunday. The trail followed the coastline sometimes right down along the rocky beaches and other times it was several stories up ...trees on my left and not much off to my right except a long long drop.  These parts of the trail were a little nerve wracking with Axel along.  Axel also liked to pick up big sticks and run along with them which was fine when he was out in front but no so much when he'd come running by and clip you in the back of the knees. 

 

The scenery was amazing like nothing I have ever seen before.  The trees and foliage were so dense you couldn't always see what way the trail was turning. There were lots of wild pink roses and perfume plants as well as a purple orchid type flower.  We also walked through tall stalk of Devil's Club (I think it is called) which has big broad leaves with thorns on the underside and thorns all the way down the stalks. Corky told me that if I thought I was going to fall while walking through these I had better not try to grab them. Th thorns have barbs that cause them to imbed in the skin and the only way to get them out is to push them through the other side. Ouch !  The trees were covered in bright green moss.  It was almost like being in another world.

 

We also saw something called Bear Bread... a sort of mushroom that grows on the sides of trees.  The Bear Bread is collected by artist who use a wood burning tool to create images in the white face of the bear bread.  If you touch the white flesh with bare hands the oils from your skin will turn the Bear Bread black rendering it useless.

 

We hiked for about 2 1/2 hours. 

3:30 p.m.

 

Had a day of 4 wheelin today.  Did pretty well considering I have never ever been on one before. Lyle said it is just like riding a motorcycle or a snow mobile. I said great I have done neither. Oh you'll be fine he says.

I think my top speed was about 15 miles an hour...call me Evil Kinevil or Mario.  

 

We did a really easy trail because Lyle was also taking his 11 year old grandson out on his new 4 wheeler. It was lots of fun even though I didn't go fast.  I did enjoy blasting through the mud puddles.

 

The trail led down to the beach and then Lyle and I went over another trail to Hidden Beach.  The tide was out so we were able to walk out and explore the tidal pool. We found mussels, sea snail, hermit crabs, sea urchins and lots and lots of barnacle.

 

I did take one tumble. Guess I was getting cocky.  Went up a hill and the trail turned right. I turned too late and didn't hit the breaks in time ...then crash bang the bike went one way and I went the other.  Put a hole in my jacket and I should have a nice bruise on my right hip but I was able to get up right away and manuver the bike out of the shrubs    .    Any one you can walk away from.  Was riding a 230. Later I had a turn on the 500.  Much bigger with a more comfy seat.  No damage done to that one or myself. In the photo I am on the 500.

 

Going hiking with Lyle tomorrow.  I just hope I can keep up.

Yesterday (Friday) was a quite day here in Alaska. It has gotten cooler about 54 degrees and overcast. It look as though it will rain at any minute.

 

The plan is to meet Debbie at the dealership around noon and go with her and the girls to lunch. She has left me the car.  Now it is a  minute drive to the dealership not really sure I need the car. 

 

Now I know I am not the most decisive person but trying to choose a place for lunch was almost comical. It was a lot of I don't cares and whereeveres until a sugestion was made.  I suggested Mexican...that lasted about 2 minutes when Allison and her friend arrived and let us know they had eaten Mexican twice this week. So where do they want to eat...oh we don't care anywhere.  Finally we decided on Henry's for good ole American food.  Henry's turned out to be too busy so we ended up at ...no I can't remember the name but we went for sushi.  I chickened out and had fish and chips (halibut & salmon). 

 

 

After lunch I headed to the Alutiqu museum.  $3.00 opened up this magnificent 1 room museum. 

Really one room.  There were  several artifacts and maps on the walls with detailed information. Later I watched a movie about the delicate balance between the Kodiak bears and the alutiqu people.  It was actually more fun watching the visitors from the cruise ship explore the museum.  I don't think I have ever seen so many people with canes, walkers and portable oxygen in all my life.  It made watching the movie far more interesting as the man sitting beside me continually asked his wife..."What he say?" and she would loudly repeat the words of the narrator.  I could on laugh.  Later a man questioned the museum's curator about the kayak display. "Well I have been around boats all my life and have never seen anything like this." He stated pointing to the split bow of the kayak. "What good it is?" Well the curator tried to explain the purpose...something about the split helping the kayak to cut through the water when waves came at the boat in certain directions. But this boatsman would have none of it. "I don't see how that would make much difference."  And other such comments were made each time the curator tried to explain things to this visitor.

 

Later I drove down the main road for a few miles just to see where I would end up.

It is now 5:45 p.m.

The day started around 9:30 a.m. It was so nice to sleep in.  Yesterday I headed down one of the main roads into town. Today I had planned to walk in the other direction. But Wally and Betts -Debbie's mom and dad suggested that I explore Near Island since it was another beautiful day and it might rain tomorrow. And it really is called Near Island. I resisted the urge to ask "Where Far Island was."

 

So I filled up the back pack and headed down the hill to Near Island.  Over the bridge and up the road to the trail head. It was a very well marked trail that lead through the woods and to the shore of the island. After the well marked trail ended at the fishery. I headed up the road to where it ended at Trident bay and watched the float boats take off and land. Then found another trail not as well marked but I figured I would give it a try. It was wound it ways up and down and around and in a few places I wasn't quite sure I was on a trail at all. Then after a steep climb it opened up to reveal a magnificent view.  The pictures just don't do it justice.

 

Now I would never do this in Boston, but something about this plac makes you instantly trust everyone you meet. As I walked back toward the mainland an elderly gentleman pulled over and asked if I'd like a ride back into town. I almost could believe it when I said yes.  He told me about his walk on the island the other day and that he was "old and fat" and needed to stop 4 times before he made it across the bridge.  He had wished someone had offered him a ride that day. So when he saw me walking he thought he wold make the gesture.  He dropped me off in downtwn at the corner of Marine Ave & Rezanof Ave.  I headed for the visitors center to get a map of the area for my scrapbook 

 

Now I am ready for a rest a 4 hour walk is long enough for today.

5:20 p.m.

 

The sun is shining and there is a nice breeze. I need pants and a wind breaker but the locals are in shorts and flip flops. Spent much of the morning walking around town trying to get oriented.  Went back to the main road int town from the airport and tried to refind all the places Debbie shoed me on the nickel tour.  I didn't do half bad. You can't imagine the view especially from their back deck and the boat marina.  Everything comes in via ship fro Seattle except the mail which comes by plane from Anchorage I think.  The cars for Debbie's business as well as any supplies for the othe businesses, so if the weather is bad the ship will be sent back to Seattle to wait out the weather.  Once the weather clears the ship returns with the unloaded cargo from the 1st trip, if there are any perishables on board they may be lost to spoilage.  I met Debbie at the dealership around noon. We got some lunch.  I managed to stay awake through until about 1 p.m. Then I needed a nap...just woke up. Hope the slide show pictures are transitioning well...sometimes they seem to skip around when I view them. It seems to work better if I open the photo ablum and view it on a full screen.

As I know you are all waiting with baited breathe for my next entry  The wait is over.  I arrived on Kodiak with much tado.  We learned that no flights got in or ot of Kodiak yesterday, today's weather was reported to be much improved and they were quite optimistic that we could land.  And we did after flying through some really dense clouds over the ocean. Debbie and her husband met me at the airport. We collected my one suitcase and they gave me the nickel diving tour before heading back to the house. I am tired but not ready for a nap just yet it is only 9 a.m. I'll have to adjust my computers clock.  I think I will take a stroll about town and see things more up close.

So the trip has begun... The night before a multi ton slab of concrete falls in the I90 tunnel which crushes a car and causes a fatality.  So we traveled to the airport by way of Somerville, Cambridge and Charlestown...45 minutes. The airport terminal was like a ghost town so check in and security were pretty easy.  Boarding Northwest was a free for all. They called for 1st class and emerency exit rows then it was general boarding so you can imagie how smoothly that went. 

 

Finally everyone was seated and we hear the Captain say "due to weather air traffiic contro has grounded all westbound flights.  The rain started about 1/2 an hour after that announcement and then the thunder and lightning.  We were given timely updates from the cockpit of "no information has been received from air traffic control". So I had a 2 1/2 hour layover in Detroit...that slowly became a no hour lay over.  We were let off the plane to check on our connections but I never got that far ...as soon as I was in line, now 3 hours later, we were ordered back on board.  We took off about 20 minutes after that.  Estimated to arrive in Detroit at 7:26 p.m. my connection was leaving at 7:30 p.m.  I had been chatting with the woman next to me who was very concerned that I would miss my connection. I discovered that the woman sitting in front of me was also going to Anchorage.  We just waited and hoped for the best. It all turned out well. Upon landing we were told that Northwest was holding the Anchorage flight. We gave a small cheer. It appeared that the storms that went through Boston also impacted Miami and Charlotte so they held the plane for those  incoming flights. 

 

On the Anchorage flight I sat next to a chatty fellow from Penn.  He was on his 3rd trip to Alaska.

 

Arrived at aout 11:30 p.m Anchorage time and the airport was busseling.  And it was still light out. The sun set just after midnight.  It has all been very exciting hanging out in the airport...had a bite to eat ...took a nap found a wifi spot -that was free-imagine that.

 

My flight to Kodiak leaves in about 50 minutes at 6 a.m. I am looking forward to being out of airports.

 

 

My suitcase is an LL Bean carry one size.  This is generally classified as a good long weekend bag.  Obviously the people at LL Bean have no idea how to pack.  I have used this bag often...last time I took it on a 2 week trip to Paris, France and fit all of my clothes in it. This time around I have over a weeks worth of clothing strategically placed and rolled in order to reach optimum capacity.  I even have a pair of hiking shoes in that bag. So I am all packed. Have the small backpack with the laptop and camera in it. I leave tomorrow.

My photo album goes along with this entry. So this will sort of be a travel journal for me.  I hope it is not too boring for anyone else who may read it.

How does one truly pack for a 3 week excursion.  I don't know about the rest of you but I just pretend that it is a week long trip. ...Will schedule in a trip to the laundry and all should be fine. Weather for cast forthe next week is rain..joy joy. Thank goodness I bought a poncho. If I forget something I can buy it right...right. Sorry these blog things are so boring...hopefully they will improve in the future.

Just got back this afternoon from NSDAR Congress.  It was great to be back with the Platform Committee.  As usual I am exhausted.  We had a fab time though. Wayne Newton received an award for his work with the USO. We had the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as a keynote speaker on National Defense night.  It was great to see old friends.