Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Alaska, Last Low

8/25/14        

        When Janet and I settled on a cruise to Alaska, Primate and I finally set our sights on our fiftieth (50) low point, although there didn't seem much to plan in advance. Packing warm clothing and getting to the cruise ship in Vancouver, BC, Canada was 99% of the effort.

        Primate and I didn't know exactly where Alaska's low point would present itself, since the ocean shoreline anywhere from Alaska counts, but we knew we'd have a number of options as we visited Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway going up the Alaskan Panhandle.

        Blustery wind drove light rain off and on when Janet, Primate and I walked down the gang plank in Ketchikan -- typical weather there, we'd learned.


        Someone on the cruise ship commented about Ketchikan locals and their weather, “They say in Ketchikan, 'If you can't see the mountain, it's raining. If you can see the mountain, it's going to rain.'”

        I figured Primate and I should make all efforts to achieve our low point goal as early as possible, to prevent any last minute scramble, so Primate and I encouraged Janet towards an inexpensive local bus ride to Totem Bight State Park.


        Right inside the park, I spied an ocean inlet through the coniferous trees, and told Primate, “Here's our chance.”

        No hesitation, we headed towards the pebbled beach, Janet lagging behind.

        “Where're you going?” she asked.

        “To the water,” I said. “Just down here.”

        The situation looked perfect, lots of beach exposed by low tide, which seemed quite low at the moment.

        “Perfect timing,” I told Primate.

        Exposed seaweed and slippery moss covered rocks made the last few yards a challenge, particularly for Janet, as I encouraged her to a favorable camera position to document the occasion.

Primate Touches Alaska Low Point
        “That's a good spot,” I said to Janet.

        A couple of toe-taps and a finger poke in the water and Primate and I were done with our fifty low points.

        “Okay?” I checked with Janet.

        “You look to make sure they're okay,” she said.

        None of us wanted to botch photo documentation of the event.
Several Totems In The Park
We examined the fourteen totem poles and community house on display around the eleven-acre park.

        Well worth our bus trip.  

        “Next?” Primate asked.  

        “We'll see,” I answered.  

        High points – zero; low points – one.  

        Totals: high points – fifty; low points – fifty.                 
(Don't leave out the high and low points of Wash, DC, done for good measure.)

"Bent Wire and Broken Glass"

A repost of my original trip blog as appeared (with some edits): Hogan, Connard. Bent Wire and Broken Glass . crazyguyonabike.com, July 2016...