Before I go any further on this blog, let me say that, this blog site is for the purpose of keeping my family and friends up to date on what we are doing and where we are in our travels.  I enjoy hearing from anyone BUT this site is NOT for the use of VENTING your disapproval on things we see or do.  Please use your own web site to do so.  THANKS!    I enjoyed learning about the mushing and I’m looking forward to keeping track of Jesse Royer in her up and coming race. 

After traveling for 2 months and seeing nothing but mountains and more mountains it’s hard to believe that each are so different and more beautiful than the last ones.  Tomorrow we take a 11 hour shuttle out to Wonder Lake.  Again it’s suppose to rain. 

We took a trip to the Chena Hot Springs.  Sorry no pictures.  It started to rain lightly but it felt good because the springs were soooo warm.  I think the water temp was 102 degrees.                               I didn’t want to put this in the last blog as somehow it just didn’t seem fitting, but we stopped off at a meat packing place on our way to the North Pole and bought some reindeer sausage.  Not real impressed with it.     (Don’t forget to click on the pictures to see them larger and to see them even bigger, click on them again.)

We stopped along the way to view the sled dogs of Susan Butcher and her husband David Munson who still trains them and runs them.  Susan was a champion musher, who won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race four times.  She died in 2006. 

This was one of the first things we had to see when we came to Fairbanks.  The Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) is one of the longest pipeline systems in the world.  Alyeska Pipeline Service Company has operated TAPS and transported more than 14 billion barrels of oil since start-up.  The length of the pipeline is 800 miles-420 miles above ground where unstable permafrost makes it necessary to elevate the pipeline; and 380 miles below ground, where the pipe is buried in stable bedrock.                                                                                  

We stopped at the North Pole and stayed at Santaland.  It was a great little RV Park.  The folks that run it are 3 generation.  Grandpa, who played Santa has since died and grandma is in a nursing home.  Mom and Dad took it over and now their children, Teffany and Merry Christmas are running it with the help of their husbands.  The man and woman that now play Santa, have just signed a contract to be there all year now.  Well, at least until after Christmas, for the kids in that area, in case they would like to comeback and thank Santa for all the great toys or complain that they didn’t get what they asked for.  After that, Santa will rest up in Yuma, AZ  =)

We left Haines and the road wasn’t bad, but as we got further north, from Haines Junction into Tok it was a mess!  Perma frost was our biggest problem.  It took us 9 hours to drive 250 miles.  From Tok to the North Pole, again no problem with the perma frost, just gravel, potholes and washboard. 

We said our goodbyes to Cynthia and Dan and left  Juneau and arrived in Haines on July 9th.  We will leave Haines tomorrow on the 12th and head for Kluane Lake area, just above Haines Junction.  We saw as much as we needed to here in Haines.  I have loads more pictures but this blog site is not user friendly when it comes to putting on lots of pictures.  (Don’t forget to click on the pictures to see them larger)     This totem that you see below, will be painted with tradition colors of black, blue and red.    It will take approx. 3000 hours to finish and the price goes for $2,300. - $3,000 per ft.  They use RED CEDAR for the pole.  

Make sure you go to http://danandcynsplace.blogspot.com/   and check out the movie on the zipline that Kyle took on my camera but I can’t post it, for some reason or another. 

It takes just a little time to download it.  This was our last zipline before we had to repel down.

WOW, I can’t believe we did this!!  Cynthia and Dan paid for us to go on a zipline.  I wasn’t sure what was in store for us so I really wasn’t scared about doing it.  We had a blast!!  And the scariest part for me, was at the end when we had to repell down.  After I got into position, for the repell, and  finally jumped off, I found I didn’t want to go down fast cause I was having such a good time and the sooner I got down there, the sooner it would be over.  =(    THANKS AGAIN CYNTHIA AND DAN FOR A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE!  We won’t forget this for a longtime!     (Don’t forget to click on the picture to see it larger and if you want to see it larger yet, click on it again.)   Don’t forget to check Cynthia and Dan’s blog.  Who knows, you might even see some pictures of me on it.  =)

We rode the tram up to Mt. Roberts where we had dinner.  Had a great halibut meal along with some dungeness crab.  After that we took the short trail for a lovely walk.   (Don’t forget to click on the pictures to see them larger.)

Stay tuned!!  On Monday, we go on the ZIP LINE. 

For the 4th of July here, we started our celebration at 12 AM.  That’s when they shot off the fireworks and it was dark enough to see them.  Did I tell you we have 21 hours of daylight right now.    Finally got to bed around 2am.  Got up a little later and went over to Cynthia and Dan’s for a wonderful dinner.  Cynthia smoked ribs, brisket and chicken.  It was fantastic!        After that, we went fishing. (Don’t forget to click on the pictures to see them larger)