Alaska Blog 4
   One of the great trips is the bus ride into and out of Denali.  the return trip gave us sunlight, and views of Alaska range totally obscured during the ride in.  The very early moring view of McKinley was clear, and as we went down through the valleys to get to the railhead, the bears were in abundance. 


Mt.Mckinley, 6:00 AM

   Once on the train, the trip to Anchorage was again full of fall color, and again reinforced the absolute vastness of everything.

Alaska, Blog 3
   I realized that I combined day 2,and 3 at Back Country Lodge in Blog 2.

  However, the flight around McKinley was the most awe-inspiring moment of the whole Alaska experience.  the Pilot hoped that it might be a good night because there was a break in the weather patterns.  Sure enough, as we flew towards McKinley, the clouds broke apart and the whole Alaska range came into view, and the pilot said we won the lottery, it was the best flight around the mountain of the season..

Alaska, Blog 2

A flight of SandHill Cranes. 

One of the great Alaskan pioneers.

   Second day at Back Country Lodge, took a botany hike, then down to a lake to see just the base of Mt.Mckinley.  Only 30% ever see the whole mountain.  A flight of Sandhill Cranes overhead.  No Northern Lights to see.  Great food at the lodge.  Cozy cabins, surprisingly roomy.

Alaska, Blog 1
I may just let Don blog (on and on and on) and I'll try to be brief.
   I met Don at 4:30 AM in the Fairbanks hotel, his plane having been cancelled, and somehow, he managed to catch up, with no luggage.
   We took a bus to the Alaskan Railroad to begin the journed down to the junction at the visitor's center at Denali National Park.  Somehow we had not expected all the color, it being the last few days of fall in Alaska.  About 6 hours on the most comfortable and spectacular viewed train, with a superb dining car.  On the train we met Boyd and Natalie from Oregon, and two couples from Mars Hill who knew about the organ at Mars Hill College, where Don and I are hopeing to put together another brass festival.

  From the park entrance we took a Back Country Lodge bus, and another 6 hours of travel, but with many stops to see the scenery.  We saw 6 grizzly on the trip!
   Weather overcast, cold, rainy, and simply magnificent.

   I'm not sure, almost, where to begin.  The whole week leading up to my 70th birthday was such a wonderful time. 
   On Saturday and Monday I spent the day with Scott and Cheryl and Alex and Carter, they wanted me to do some photos of them at Saquish, and at the Mazzoli's and that was a treat. 
   On Thursday, I spent the day with Jackson and Oliver, Ken's children, in Boston going to the U.S.S. constitution, and the destroyer USS Cassin Young.  When I asked Ken if I could join him for dinner, he suggested that I might want to get home early and get a good night's sleep, and then gave me my birthday present, tickets to the US Open Tennis championships in Flushing Meadows at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
    We met at 5AM on Friday, my birthday, and we drove in Ken's new mini Cooper, arriving in plenty of time for breakfast, and the first match with the defending US Open woman's champion, Samantha Stoser, who dispatched her oponent fairly quickly,  Then it was Novak Djokovic, defending US Open champion, destroying his openent.  Then the babe, Maria Sharapova, the one who screams at every swing, also dominating.  And finally the Williams sisters in a great game of doubles, with some absolutely wild volleys. We baked in the heat for 7 hours, but it was a very exciting experience.
    Saturday, we celebrated my birthday, Susan having quickly re-arranged the party because of the last minute trip to NY.  Ken, Erin, Jackson and Oliver came, Scott, Sheryl, Alex and Carter, and sister Barbara and husband Bill Humm.  Great dinner, and the most wonderful surprise from Scott, who had taken 70, count them, 70 brids from my blog, and created a montage of them all in a huge panel, which you see pictured.  What a ferocious amount of work, and what a work of art. 
   And finally, today, Susan, Barbara, Bill and I went down to Plymouth and visited, for the first time, the house that the Mayflower Society uses for it's headquarters.  Wonderful house

   So, a lot more photos than usual, and please be patient, but it was quite a week.  And tomorrow I pack for Tuesday's trip to (gasp) Alaska, to continue the unending celebration of my 70th birthday with my twin.  As my mother would have said, "My stars above!".