Seattle, WA and Sitka, AK Summer 2015

This was a trip more about reconnecting with old friends than about visiting places. But, the places we visited were spectacular and the friends more special than remembered.

We spent three days in Seattle on our way to Alaska. Jim met Twit (Howard Conway) in Antarctica many years ago. They stay only sporadically in touch but have a definite bond. 

Twit and Jim on porch in Seattle.

We've been traveling to SE Alaska since the mid 70s but hadn't been to Sitka since 1988. Our dear Madison college friend Jim Downs moved there and worked for the Forest Service until he was lost in a helicopter crash. We've stayed in touch with his wife Kitty LaBounty. And time marches on. . .

Kitty and her island taxi in Sitka.

But first, some photo highlights of Seattle:

We climbed to the top of the water tower (Agua Pura).

Spectacular views from the water tower.

Dale Chihuly Museum at the base of the Space Needle.

A glass ceiling inside the Chihuly museum.

Interior glass gardens in the Chihuly museum.

Remotely lit luminescent Chihuly forms.

Gardens with complimentary Chihuly glass forms.

Can you tell that I loved the Chihuly museum! We also visited the Seattle Public Library, toured a lock system with underground viewing of a salmon ladder, and took a ferry to Bainbridge Island. Twit's university office has a patio with a view of Mt. Rainier. What beautiful country.

Sitka, Alaska / June 28 - July 12, 2015

Then we flew to Sitka where Kitty kept us busy for the next two weeks! She lives on an island (a 10 minute boat ride to Sitka) and parks her boat at a dock about a half mile from her house. One walks on a trail with a partial boardwalk to get to the house and grazes on blueberries and huckleberries along the way.

Kitty's bedroom window looking south.

Kitty sunning in her garden.

Eagles everywhere (especially when the neighbors clean fish).

Kayaking around the island. Kitty made her kayak!

 

Totem poles at the Sitka Natl Historical Park.

Totem design detail.

I'll interrupt the photos for a couple comments. I love this park. The totem poles are placed along a path next to the ocean and they sneak up on you as you walk. The curvature of the lines is quite defined although there was one new pole at the park that breaks the rules. 

The following picture was taken at the Larkspur Caffe which is on the first floor of the Raven Radio station building in downtown Sitka. Members of the group (The Balkan Conspiracy) are friends of Kitty's. While they were performing, the "groupies" played a free-form version of Scrabble (no scoring, loose rules, and you can play outside the grid). Quite a boisterous game. Note: It is about 9 pm and the sun is streaming in the window. It doesn't really get dark this time of year.

The Balkan Conspiracy at the Larkspur Caffe, Sitka, AK.

Heather and Greg arrive in time for the "tuneup" hike to Indian River Falls.

A much needed break and lunch on the 4.5 mi. hike up to the falls.

Spectacular falls. Note Kitty and Matt in lower right.

Reindeer Redhots at the Saturday (July 4) Farmers Market.

Captain in a dress for the 4th!

4th of July parade where everyone throws out candy!

Tour at Sitka Salmon Shares (we subscribe): processing king salmon.

3-Day trip to Fred's Creek Cabin on Kruzoff Island.

Heather reprises her AK 70s pink pants look for her dad.

Beachcombing; lookng back toward Sitka.

Hiking up Mt. Edgecumbe with Steve, Kitty and Mary Beth.

The volcanic summit appears.

Mt. Edgecumbe, a 7 mile climb (6 gentle, 1 vertical).

Gandolf (Greg) and I turn back before the vertical climb.

Sea otters cavorting in front of the cabin.

Checking out Kruzoff tide pools on a rainy day.

Waiting for our ride back to Sitka. Heather is knitting socks with an ocean pattern.

The few days left were all partially rainy, but it didn't stop us from shopping (great NW fabric patterns at the Ben Franklin), kayaking, hiking, eating seafood, playing games (Cantan), helping with chores, and visiting other Sitka sites like the Raptor Center where we saw eagles and owls and ravens and all kinds of birds. I managed to slip on the boardwalk on my final hike from Kitty's to the dock to the airport. No lasting damage. Whew! Knees are safe for tennis when I get home. Great trip. Thank you, Kitty.

Jim Downs: the only thing missing from the trip!