#206 2009 Alaska Cruise, Part 1

 2009 Alaska Cruise

Hey! Some real travel stories, although it happened before I started the travel blog. This post begins a series of posts about our only cruise vacation—a 7-day Alaskan cruise on Princess.

The trip from Seattle to Skagway and return was August 2 to 9, 2009. A trip of 2000 nautical miles. We loved the trip, but just never got around to taking another—we could never find the right time since we didn’t want to give up our summer trips to Canada and the southwest or our shoulder season trips to Scotland.

We boarded the Star Princess (along with 3000 other passengers) at noon for a 4:00pm departure. 

We found our small balcony room on the 11th deck, below the buffet and pool. It was a nice unit and plenty roomy considering how little time we actually spent in the cabin, 

although we did make good use of the balcony. We unpacked and started exploring our floating resort—the plaza, shops, eateries and bars, and entertainment areas. 

String quartet was pleasant entertainment several afternoons.

We got a nice send off by the Blue Angels over the Seattle skyline.

The first organized activity of the cruise was a lifeboat instruction meeting (with no lifeboats). 

I don’t know if I really liked getting on a ship and learning what to do when it does a Titanic, but I guess it was necessary. Right after our lifeboat muster we did find a bar where we could get a Scotch whisky and watch Tiger win another tournament.

Dinner was on the “Anytime” plan, where you chose your own time and place. We ate in the Portofino Dining Room—lobster and crab starter, prime rib for a main. My mistake was passing up the Bananas Foster for later—it never did come back on the menu.

This was the view a couple of hours out of Seattle.

Our first full day aboard ship, Monday, was at sea. There was plenty to do, including  naturalist lectures about Alaskan geology and glaciers, shopping for gold for Anne and Duty Free whisky for me, breakfast in the buffet and sushi for lunch by the pool. There was also plenty of time for walking around the ship, enjoying fresh cookies and lattes, and reading and writing. 

Anne spent time reading on the balcony, bundled against the cool weather.

The dinner, the week’s only formal affair (dress up) came after the Captain’s Champagne Party. It was a great chance for me to wear my kilt.

My Welsh National Tartan

Tuesday started early watching from the foreword observation deck as the ship maneuvered into dock at Ketchikan harbor. 

Ketchikan from the Boat

Great for a photographer. Breakfast was again in the buffet and we were off the boat by 8:00am to explore the Salmon Capital of Alaska. We didn’t plan an excursion for this stop, just wandered. With much to see and do, we kept busy at the downtown shops,

Decorated with Antlers

 creeks filled with fish,

Salmon Creek

 a funicular tram to the top of town, 

There are many old and new totems throughout town.

Creek Street shops and museums, 

Creek Street Shopping District

and restaurants and cafes. 

We. had lunch at the Pioneer Cafe.

A highlight was the tour of Dolly’s House—

the brothel and red-light museum.

An interesting wharf reflection as we left Ketchikan.

We were back on the ship by 3:00pm for a 4:00 sailing. Dinner was again at the Portofino (whatever I had was absolutely delicious). Most impressive of the whole day was the after dinner whale watching and the colorful sunset through the smoke of Canadian forest fires as we sailed through Clarance Strait towards tomorrow’s treat, Tracy Arm Glacier.

But that’s for the next post.

#205 My Favorite Cars

 Special Note: My website [www.penandprint.com] will soon be going to internet heaven. It’s been a good run, but it’s no longer needed for contact with Scottish, Welsh, and Irish golf courses. Be sure you bookmark this blog  www.penandprint.blogspot.com  so that you can easily connect to Have Pen and Camera, Will Travel when I write new posts. And thanks for your comments.

My Favorite Rides

On Facebook a few days ago there was a question asked—one of those share your experience posts. The question was, “What is the favorite car you’ve owned?” Good question, but why not share a more complete answer on my Blog. So, here it is, a discussion of the favorite autos (and trucks) that I’ve owned.

The first car I ever owned was a tank. A sick green 1950 Buick automatic with a dynaflow transmission (you stepped on the gas, waited three seconds, and then the tank started to move). Not a favorite, but a starting point for a list of favorites. Two vehicles need special mention here. 

Bookings HS Speech Team Van-boot Sale

The first was a 1974 VW bus (aka, a micro bus) which we used as a speech team carrier in Brookings where I started a team in 1980 and the district didn’t have transportation we could use. The blue van allowed me to take six students to a tournament. The 1600cc engine developed 67 horse power and got the fully loaded van up the coastal hills at 35mph. At the same time we had the second car of special mention, 

a 1976 yellow Dodge Colt coupe with 90 hp. Anne could carry three more students to tournaments. Both of these vehicles are remembered fondly as reliable friends who helped build my career as a speech coach.

We sold the blue bus our last year in Brookings (the school district finally had a minivan we could use) and bought our first VW GTI, a 1984 special edition Rabbit with 90 hp, suped-up suspension, special seats, and five speed stick transmission—

1984 GTI in Autocross in Medford

it was our first pocket rocket. The gray with red stripes racer led to a lifetime of small, hot cars raced in auto-crosses and hillclimbs throughout the northwest. Very often we had his and her’s VW Golf GTIs in our parking area in Canby. 

16 Valve GTI at Mary's Peak Hillclimb

We had new Golf GTIs in 1988 and 1994 and our only non-GTI when we bought a 2000 4-door. Our last VW GTI I’ll tell more about later in the post.

Many or most of you know we raised and raced Siberian Husky sled dogs for many years. That meant we had trucks, many of which were not our favorites. I particularly remember a Chevy LUV mini pick up that we jacked up and converted to 4-wheel drive. With the dog’s boxes full it was so underpowered that besides fearing it would tip over at the slightest corner, we were again stuck going 35 mph over every mountain pass. For a while we did have an old 1952 International pick up that I drove around town when I taught special education at the Oregon State Hospital in the 1970s. The film company for “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” paid me $25 to park in my usual spot at the hospital so a period car would appear in the Supt’s window. We’ve never been able to find it in the movie (probably ended up on the cutting room floor), but Anne and I got a nice dinner out of it. Our favorite truck, though, was our last one.

In 2019 we bought a very low mileage Ford F150 to tow a small Little Guy Mini travel trailer. The truck was fun to drive and the combination of truck and trailer was great. 

We had to give the pair up because of my advancing Parkinson’s symptoms, but the truck still stands out from all the others we owned.

This brings me to our current favorite autos, Subarus. We bought our first Subaru Outback Special LL Bean edition in 2003 and fell in love with the cars. 

2012 Outback in Mitchell, OR

They are comfortable to drive, small and yet roomy, have plenty of power, and are very reliable. We are now on our fourth Outback (2003, 2012, 2016, and 2018). 

2016 Outback

We’ve bought new ones as equipment and features have changed, not because of wear or mechanical problems. Anne’s favorite is the 2018 Outback 3.6R.

Our fifth Subaru is my favorite. We traded in the 2017 F150 for a 2021 Forester Sport equipped for off road with special tires, suspension, and skid plates. 

It’s an easy and fun car to drive in town or longer trips. And while it’s the favorite I drive now, it is not the most favorite.

My favorite of all the vehicles we’ve owned is a 2007 VW Fahrenheit GTI #914/1200. The special Lamborghini Orange 2.0L 200 hp with six speed automated manual transmission and European tuned sports suspension was a special car. 

Fast, agile, head-turning, this GTI was a dream to drive, although we worked hard keeping the mileage low (having good Outbacks for long trips made that easier). I finally gave up the Fahrenheit GTI when we needed a truck to pull the trailer. It was a terribly hard decision, but the right one—trading one toy for another.

At this time in our lives I can’t see us needing another car, so my list probably won’t change. It’s now time for me to ask…

What is your favorite car? 

#204 Story, Photos, and News

       This post contains a story from our travels to Scotland, some favorite old photos (film that's been digitalized), and some other news. Hope you enjoy.

The World, It Is Exploding

Our first time using timeshare for lodging in Scotland was in the fall of 2003. We spent a week at Scandinavian Village in Aviemore in the central Scottish highlands. Our apartment had two bedrooms and a kitchen/dining/living room. What we missed by staying in self-catering (mostly the grand B&B breakfasts) was made up for by doing our cooking. With a stove, oven, and microwave we had plenty of cooking options.

Scandinavian Village unit in 2014

For breakfast on our first morning of cooking I planned to cook a microwave soft egg like I do at home. I had a correct size microwave proof bowl, but unlike home where I use Syran Wrap I had no plastic cling film to top the bowl. I just covered the bowl with a paper towel. I set the timer for 45 seconds on high heat (at home I use 55 seconds at 80%) and turned it on. Something made me turn and look at the microwave just in time (about 40 seconds) to hear a loud bang! The door of the microwave was blown open. Egg bits splattered everywhere and steam poured out of the open door.

Surveying the disaster scene I discovered nothing but particles of my egg were left in the oven, but that no real damage had been done in the room—the microwave was a mess, but still worked. As I cleaned up I mulled over the cause of the explosion. Were the eggs different enough in Scotland that they couldn’t be done in the microwave—after all, eggs in Scotland aren’t cleaned and are almost never refrigerated? Was the microwave too powerful at my settings? Did I really need cling wrap with holes poked in?

I never did find out the true cause of my eggsplosion, but in the more than 25 trips I took to Scotland after, I never tried to duplicate my experience.

Favorite Photos

    Astronomy: an interest of mine since Jr High days.

Telescopes on Mona Kea at over 13,000 feet. Grainy photo from 800 ASA film.

Solar eclipse from Biggs, OR, 1979--published by Sky & Telescope magazine.

Sled Dogs: Raised and raced Siberian huskies from 1970 to 1985.

Anne running at team at one of the Oregon beach races in mid-70s.

A winter run on a wheeled rig with limited snow at Beaver Marsh, view of Mt Thielson.

Forest Fire: in the early 80s we were on Mt Ashland when a major forest fire threatened a friend's home.

Backpacking with Dogs: we backpacked from the early 70s into the mid-90s.

Backpacking into Chambers Lakes basin for an article for Cascades East magazine.

Me and Myko in the Three Sisters Wilderness area.

Myko early morning in the Green Lakes area on South Sisters.

Other News

This next section of the post isn’t the fun stuff, that was all in the story and the photos. This section is a report about us. First, Anne is working hard at recovery from total shoulder replacement surgery on her left shoulder—no golf for her most of the summer. Her surgery was three weeks ago and she is doing fine, but the hardest part, physical training (otherwise called physical torture) is to begin in a week and a half. We know how hard it is going to be, she had the same surgery on the other shoulder about eleven years ago. It’s amazing how strong she is and how independent.

Anne has to wear her sling for at least 4 weeks, but rides along while I play.

 

Second, while I live with the spinal stenosis that makes walking difficult, I continue to learn about life with Parkinson’s. My symptoms are so far quite mild and mostly controllable with medication. I know that things will change, there is no cure, but one of my hardest challenges is accepting that I won’t know how PD will affect me until it happens. I’ve always relied on my old Boy Scout training and tried to be prepared. I find that it’s difficult to prepare; all I can do is adapt—it’s a new concept. I still play golf, although my balance is completely different than it used to be. All I can say is have one of the more unique swings out at my golf course.

I lose my balance when I swing the driver, but I haven't fallen...yet.

Although we can’t really do much travel planning currently, we are both thankful for all the support we’ve received from friends and family.