Ketcikan Alaska, Sept 3rd
Ketchikan Alaska, but not for long cuz I’m getting out of Dodge, I mean Ketchikan and heading for Prince Rupert on the Kennicott ferry. Spent a day in Ketchikan and that was enough when it started sprinkling and found out from some of the locals that this being a holiday weekend, many are out of town…and this being a cruise port, with only one ship in town, it’s gonna be a quiet night. Finally had one full day without rain, yesterday cuz did make it to Petersburg after midnight without rain, so must have left Alaska for part of the boat ride, not. Had plenty of fog after Petersburg and I know there were a number of people who had a hard time sleeping thru it because the ships fog horn was sounding every couple of minutes, but it didn’t bother me none. Did hear the announcement for the Wrangell port, but wasn’t going to get dressed at 3:00 in the morning to walk onto the port, that a picture from the deck is good enough for you…ok, sleeping in my sleeping bag the way it should be slept in – very little to no clothing even if there are voyeurs’ around.
Now for what I learned last night sitting in the Malispina bar about Juneau being the capital of Alaska. Well, as the story goes, Sitka was the capital when it was a Russian territory, thus the Russian history to see in Sitka, but once it became a state, Ketchikan and Juneau were the 2 largest cities in the state. Fairbanks and Anchorage didn’t really exist until the pipeline was put in at which point many of the people who worked on the pipeline stayed in those areas. Every few years they do put on the ballot whether to change the capital to an inner state city, something closer to Fairbanks or Anchorage, but it’s been voted down for years because of the support of the inland ports, but that ain’t gonna be lasting long because now even some of the inland ports are arguing about things…well, that’s a whole other story, but now you know the rest of the story. The only reason I brought that up is heard from many Alaskan’s that they don’t even understand why Juneau is the capital since it’s land locked, but if it’s been on the ballot, surprised that it still hasn’t been voted in favor of changing – but, I can mark it down that I visited the capital of Alaska.
Ok, back to the trip to Ketchikan and found downtown pretty easy, only one road and it ends at two different ends of town that it’s a no brainer. This is definitely a cruise port with all the shops that are around, especially jewelry and since I’m not in the market for jewelry, just need to find the Harley shop. Did just that and with this shop being the last of the five I needed to hit, bought myself a bag of the ‘Mother Load’ shirts which Becky will take care of shipping home for me…did cost me an extra $10, but they get that quite often that it was easy. Talked to her for awhile and figured I might as well head south out of town to the end of the road before checking into the hostel which didn’t take long since its 14 miles out of town although half of it is gravel, but you can see it took me to the power plant in the area. Not a very big one at that, but there’s not a lot to this city that has to be lit up. More waterfalls and pictures of the bay which looks very similar to the Juneau area, except not as many waterfalls, but some pretty nice ones nonetheless. Back to town and before heading the other way to the end of the road figured I’d find the hostel and get unpacked. Can see why it’s called the Eagle View Hostel with the way it was perched on the side of the hill and some great views from where I was sitting. Met Dale the owner, yep, same name different spelling, cleaning brush from around the lot and he started telling me the story of how he’s cleaning things up to expand, bought the place a few years ago as well as the rest of his life story. Ok, he needed a break that I had plenty of time that eventually he let me go so I could unpack and’ll be the only guy in the male dorm tonight and maybe tomorrow night which I don’t have to worry about anyone keeping me awake with their snoring.
Hey, I’m getting pretty good at making these hostel beds, that you never know, maybe there’s a job out there for me as a maid at a hotel or something…well, maybe I’ll shoot for something else when it comes to a job. Time to head to the other end of town and once again, didn’t take long, 18 miles out of town and paved all the way that now I can say I’ve seen most if not all of Ketchikan that there is to see, even with a few sprinkles starting to fall on my way back. Did make a stop at the Alaskan Marine Ferry terminal to see if there was a chance getting on to Prince Rupert sooner than the 5th and sure enough, they have something, but it’s tonight at 10:30 that not sure whether I should or not since have already checked into the hostel. Ok, it’s an option that let me see what’s going on downtown and hey, found a pretty hopping place only to get kicked out...well, maybe not kicked out, but on my way in someone said it was a private party and I said yea, I was here to see Mike, but gotta ‘Who’s Mike’…ok, guess I should’ve picked a different name, but did chat with a few before leaving them back to their privateness.
At this point I’ve seen everything there is to see and as long as it’s gonna be a quiet night, might as well get on the ferry tonight which is just what you can see I did…you know, from my opening line? Went back to the hostel and told Dale that I was going to take the ferry tonight instead of waiting and he didn’t have a problem with that. Did ask him how much it’d cost me to take a shower which I still needed to get cleaned up since having gotten off the ferry from Juneau, that he was reasonable about it. Took that shower I needed and although I didn’t have to be at the ferry terminal until 8:30,thought I’d stop in early to see about loading the bike and going across the street for dinner, but no luck, with loading that might as well get dinner, which is where I ended up, Jeremiah’s. Had a good home-cooked meal, not one of my own since haven’t cooked for awhile, but headed back to the ferry where I could finally load the bike and hey, I’m in luck, they have tie downs on this ship that I don’t have to worry about having my own. Didn’t get a picture of the bike tied down, but trust me, it’s well secured and won’t be going anywhere that now all I have to do is find that spot to lay out my sleeping bag and the ferry bar, no not that kind of bar. Well, while I was working on this blog Liz came into the bar and knew who I was…she said she has already heard stories about me – great, it’s already getting around. Came to find out that she had been at the hostel to pick up her stuff and Dale had told her about me and how I was getting on the ferry tonight, the same one that she was on that thank God that’s the only story she’s heard about me…the others are just stories – trust me. She is working in Prince Rupert that I got to tell her about my trip while she told me of some things I should see around Prince Rupert as well as other places that I should go to that, will do just that. Had a few and it was probably a good thing they kicked us out early cuz we’ll be getting into Prince Rupert at 6:00am and if you haven’t figured it out yet, will lose an hour since Alaska is it’s own time zone that I should get as much sleep as I can. Well, once I get off the ferry in the morning will have finally left Alaska, but it is definitely a place I plan on visiting again…hopefully when it’s not raining as much. O’Canada here I come – ay! Ketchikan Pictures.
Now for what I learned last night sitting in the Malispina bar about Juneau being the capital of Alaska. Well, as the story goes, Sitka was the capital when it was a Russian territory, thus the Russian history to see in Sitka, but once it became a state, Ketchikan and Juneau were the 2 largest cities in the state. Fairbanks and Anchorage didn’t really exist until the pipeline was put in at which point many of the people who worked on the pipeline stayed in those areas. Every few years they do put on the ballot whether to change the capital to an inner state city, something closer to Fairbanks or Anchorage, but it’s been voted down for years because of the support of the inland ports, but that ain’t gonna be lasting long because now even some of the inland ports are arguing about things…well, that’s a whole other story, but now you know the rest of the story. The only reason I brought that up is heard from many Alaskan’s that they don’t even understand why Juneau is the capital since it’s land locked, but if it’s been on the ballot, surprised that it still hasn’t been voted in favor of changing – but, I can mark it down that I visited the capital of Alaska.
Ok, back to the trip to Ketchikan and found downtown pretty easy, only one road and it ends at two different ends of town that it’s a no brainer. This is definitely a cruise port with all the shops that are around, especially jewelry and since I’m not in the market for jewelry, just need to find the Harley shop. Did just that and with this shop being the last of the five I needed to hit, bought myself a bag of the ‘Mother Load’ shirts which Becky will take care of shipping home for me…did cost me an extra $10, but they get that quite often that it was easy. Talked to her for awhile and figured I might as well head south out of town to the end of the road before checking into the hostel which didn’t take long since its 14 miles out of town although half of it is gravel, but you can see it took me to the power plant in the area. Not a very big one at that, but there’s not a lot to this city that has to be lit up. More waterfalls and pictures of the bay which looks very similar to the Juneau area, except not as many waterfalls, but some pretty nice ones nonetheless. Back to town and before heading the other way to the end of the road figured I’d find the hostel and get unpacked. Can see why it’s called the Eagle View Hostel with the way it was perched on the side of the hill and some great views from where I was sitting. Met Dale the owner, yep, same name different spelling, cleaning brush from around the lot and he started telling me the story of how he’s cleaning things up to expand, bought the place a few years ago as well as the rest of his life story. Ok, he needed a break that I had plenty of time that eventually he let me go so I could unpack and’ll be the only guy in the male dorm tonight and maybe tomorrow night which I don’t have to worry about anyone keeping me awake with their snoring.
Hey, I’m getting pretty good at making these hostel beds, that you never know, maybe there’s a job out there for me as a maid at a hotel or something…well, maybe I’ll shoot for something else when it comes to a job. Time to head to the other end of town and once again, didn’t take long, 18 miles out of town and paved all the way that now I can say I’ve seen most if not all of Ketchikan that there is to see, even with a few sprinkles starting to fall on my way back. Did make a stop at the Alaskan Marine Ferry terminal to see if there was a chance getting on to Prince Rupert sooner than the 5th and sure enough, they have something, but it’s tonight at 10:30 that not sure whether I should or not since have already checked into the hostel. Ok, it’s an option that let me see what’s going on downtown and hey, found a pretty hopping place only to get kicked out...well, maybe not kicked out, but on my way in someone said it was a private party and I said yea, I was here to see Mike, but gotta ‘Who’s Mike’…ok, guess I should’ve picked a different name, but did chat with a few before leaving them back to their privateness.
At this point I’ve seen everything there is to see and as long as it’s gonna be a quiet night, might as well get on the ferry tonight which is just what you can see I did…you know, from my opening line? Went back to the hostel and told Dale that I was going to take the ferry tonight instead of waiting and he didn’t have a problem with that. Did ask him how much it’d cost me to take a shower which I still needed to get cleaned up since having gotten off the ferry from Juneau, that he was reasonable about it. Took that shower I needed and although I didn’t have to be at the ferry terminal until 8:30,thought I’d stop in early to see about loading the bike and going across the street for dinner, but no luck, with loading that might as well get dinner, which is where I ended up, Jeremiah’s. Had a good home-cooked meal, not one of my own since haven’t cooked for awhile, but headed back to the ferry where I could finally load the bike and hey, I’m in luck, they have tie downs on this ship that I don’t have to worry about having my own. Didn’t get a picture of the bike tied down, but trust me, it’s well secured and won’t be going anywhere that now all I have to do is find that spot to lay out my sleeping bag and the ferry bar, no not that kind of bar. Well, while I was working on this blog Liz came into the bar and knew who I was…she said she has already heard stories about me – great, it’s already getting around. Came to find out that she had been at the hostel to pick up her stuff and Dale had told her about me and how I was getting on the ferry tonight, the same one that she was on that thank God that’s the only story she’s heard about me…the others are just stories – trust me. She is working in Prince Rupert that I got to tell her about my trip while she told me of some things I should see around Prince Rupert as well as other places that I should go to that, will do just that. Had a few and it was probably a good thing they kicked us out early cuz we’ll be getting into Prince Rupert at 6:00am and if you haven’t figured it out yet, will lose an hour since Alaska is it’s own time zone that I should get as much sleep as I can. Well, once I get off the ferry in the morning will have finally left Alaska, but it is definitely a place I plan on visiting again…hopefully when it’s not raining as much. O’Canada here I come – ay! Ketchikan Pictures.
posted by Dalej Webb at 1:13 PM
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