Alaska Post 2

Evening, Tuesday, August 25.

Alaska is reminding me of the reason and purpose of why I came to earth -- just to be here.

There are plenty of evergreens, but really this is a deciduous forest near where we are -- every space is a riot of alder, birch, cottonwood, aspens, etc. I found out there is such a thing as birch syrup like there is maple syrup. Haven't tasted it yet.

I knew there was a formal tour today but I hadn't paid attention to what was planned, so it was a surprise to me that we went on what was called a jet boat safari (Mahay's). We all got in a rather large motorized boat with big windows to see out. There was more than one river involved -- Susitna? Knik? Dunno. Beeyootiful though. Saw two eagles (bald) and I even saw a little bear (black with a tan snout) bounding away from the bank. We stopped for a while and went on a very short nature hike and saw some old trapper cabins and a recreation of an indigeonous home site. The nature guide told lots of neat things, like that bald eagle females are bigger than the males, and when we went on the walk she carried a shotgun across her back in case of bears I think. But she looked about 12, although she was probably early 20s.

We went to a place called Talkeetna Lodge (Talkeetna was a village) -- very elegant and the food was a sight better. I ordered vegetable chips (getting addicted to them) which had 2 dips, and some crab and avocado cakes with corn relish. The view out the back deck of the lodge was awesome. Looked at a carved beluga the size of my finger (in ivory) -- 260 bucks, so no. Carved ones the size of my pinky fingernail were 65. Maybe I'll find cheaper somewhere. Going to go looking. It is called scrimshaw (whale ivory art).

The bus driver, kinda by accident, we found out knew a lot about Alaska and especially about the Ititerod which was our next stop. She told us interesting facts like if you are a year round Alaskan you are called a sourdough. Also that in Wasilla Alaska they have a duct tape ball annually. Outfits -- creative, intricate, beautiful -- are made from duct tape. Wasilla Walmart sells duct tape in tartan, baby blue, whatnot. You can google and see some of those outfits, she said.

We went to the Iditerod headquarters. This is NOT the starting of the race. But the Iditerod was begun in 1973. We met the founders son, now an older man himself. He had his race dogs that were giving cart rides (no snow, so no sled). Even got to hold some puppies.