We just got back from a “cruise-tour” of Alaska.  They call it a cruise-tour because you spend five days on the ground in Alaska and then jump on a cruise ship to wander through the Inside Passage.  You can do the cruise first (start in Vancouver), but I have no idea how to handle the land portion after stuffing yourself for seven days on board a ship.

It’s a nice package, particularly if you have a problem with sea sickness.  It is impossible to get seasick in the Inside Passage.  You’ve got land all around you and it is like floating in a community lake.  After a week on ship, you’ll still have no idea what  the expression “see legs” means.  That’s fine with me.  I am not big on seeing my food more than once.  My first tattoo is going to say “terra firma.”

We traveled by train from Anchorage to Talkeetna.  If you saw the TV show, Northern Exposure, you have an idea of what to expect in Talkeetna.  We were a few days early for their major social function of the year, The Talkeetna Moose Dropping Festival.  No, they don’t drop a moose.  We are talking about moose droppings.  It is the major fund raiser in Talkeetna, sponsored by the VFW for the benefit of the Talkeetna Historical Society.

This is a raffle where you purchase a little ball of moose poop which has been shellacked and numbered.  In fact, there are two balls with the same number.  One has a pin in it, making it suitable for wearing at appropriate occasions (which is anytime in Talkeetna).  The second ball is held for the contest.  All of the second moose-dropping balls are placed in a net, hauled into the air and dropped over a bulls-eye.  The moose dropping that lands closest to the bulls-eye is the winner.  You are also the winner if your little ball of poop bounces or rolls farthest form the bulls-eye.  Sorry we missed it.

Prior to the moose dropping event, they have a parade, “right down Main Street.”  Then, they turn around and march right up Main Street.  The street is so short that if you get in the right spot, you will never lose sight of the parade.  A parade in Alaska reminds me of the parades we used to have when I was a kid.  There were no expensive floats or glitter, just high school bands and fire trucks and friends waiving to friends.  It caused good, warm feelings that stayed with you throughout the year.

Ten years ago, we were in Ketchikan, Alaska on the 4th of July.  What a great parade – right out of the 1950’s.  All the high school graduates who were celebrating class reunions were piled into the back of flat bed trucks.  There was the Class of 1992; the Class of 1987; the Class of 1982, and so on.  Ketchikan can only be reached by sea or air, but everyone returns for the 4th of July celebration.  It is probably the only time I will see a fully loaded logging truck in a 4th of July parade.

After spending a day in the Denali National Park, we returned to Talkeetna to spend a night at the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge.  It is quite modern and has a spectacular view of Mt. McKinley.  The only problem is that Mt. McKinley is bashful.  It doesn’t show itself very often.  In fact, they have concluded that only 30% of those looking for Mt. McKinley get to see it.  You can purchase a 30% pin indicating you were part of the 30% that saw it.  You can wear the pin right next to your moose dropping pin.

Mt. McKinley is so elusive that you can request the Lodge call you if McKinley shows itself.  I did, and at 10:30 PM I received a call.  I hustled up to the Lodge and there it was in all its beauty.  However, even though it was 10:30 at night, the sun was shining in my eyes.  The sun was scheduled to set at 11:27 PM, so I went back to my room; then back to the Lodge at 11:15.  The sun was behind the mountain, making for some great photo shots.  The only problem was that this was my second night in Alaska and I was still functioning on Eastern Daylight Savings Time.  My body thought it was 3:30 in the morning.

The bottom line is the Lodge is great, the town is strange and I don’t think they will be able to lure me back for Winter Dog Mushing.