Mt. McKinley

There are NOT a lot of roads in Alaska. Most traveling is done by Air, Water, or Rail.


As we approached the larger cities, it became obvious that the few roads only ran to the edge of town.

There are more licensed pilots in Alaska than any other part of the United States with a comparable population. There are as common as crows in a cornfield in West Virginia.


We were lucky to fly at 12,000 ft. around the peak of Mount McKinley in Denali State Park.



The peak is above 20,000 ft. but the climber’s Base Camp was visible below us. We radioed our observations along to those trying to reach the summit.

We were lucky to see Mount McKinley while we were here. It’s common for the mountain to be covered by clouds and the visibility to be near zero. Many climbers have lost their lives here caught in the weather system actually created by the mountain itself.

While riding the train to Denali, we passed a grocery store in an isolated village where bush pilots landed on the main highway and taxied up to the store for supplies.
After loading the plane, he taxied back on to the highway, looked both directions and carefully launched back into the air while the traffic was sparse.

You can still live off the land in Alaska by hunting and fishing but the short summers don’t allow much time for growing vegetables. Everyone pushes life to the max while the summer sun allows nearly 24 hours of daylight before the equally cold and dark winters arrive.

Moose Danger Zone

It’s surprising easy to miss seeing a full grown MOOSE standing alongside a trail in Alaska.

They’re enormous animals but blend right in with the woods and trees.
More people are killed or maimed by Moose than Grizzly Bears in Alaska.

They are BIG animals and very territorial.
They are aggressive when challenged or startled by intruders.

Our hike in Alaska was prime time for calves and worthy of extra caution in the woods.

When Moose have young they will NOT tolerate intruders.

We hiked down a trail from a Railroad Crossing in Denali State Park towards “Horseshoe Lake”. It was a short hike of less than two miles to the Beaver Dam.

There’s not one single mosquito here, they’re all married with children.

The important thing to remember when hiking in Moose country is to always see the Moose before it sees you.
Violating its SPACE is a serious transgression that can have dire consequences for the unwary traveler.

A Moose with the raised hackles, ears back and flattened, lowered head, stomping hoofs, clicking teeth and licking lips are all signs a charge or trampling may be imminent.

Avoid a Confrontation.

Yield to the Moose: go around, go back or wait.

A half ton Moose with four slashing hoofs...

can stomp the living daylights out of you!

We watched this mother and her two calves for about half an hour. I felt a distinct possibility of danger as long as we were in its area and was incredibly sensitive to its space.

By staying aware...

You can peacefully coexist with these Humongous Herbivores.

Food and Diet Advice

A good friend of mine recently sent this e-mail to me.
It's important to have a sense of humor...even if the advice is questionable.
Unfortunately, it sounds like all the ingredients for a heart attack.

Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it... don't waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.

Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.

Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit.Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up!

Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.

Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain...Good !

Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?
A: YOU'RE NOT LISTENING !!! ... Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.

Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy? HELLO Cocoa beans! Another vegetable!!! It's the best feel-good food around!

Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.

Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?
A: Hey! 'Round' is a shape! _____

Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.

And remember: ( I like this part, and I have seen it before, too.)

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO, What a Ride!!"

Medical Insurance Explained

I'm an advocate of National Health Care because I feel it's essential for basic happiness. How can a person feel good about themselves, and the others around them, when pain and suffering is so prevalent among the poor?

Today, one American files for bankruptcy every 30 seconds due, at least in part, to crippling medical bills.

Here's the latest spin on HMO's:

Q. What does HMO stand for?
A. This is actually a variation of the phrase, "HEY MOE." Its roots go back to a concept pioneered by Moe of the Three Stooges, who discovered that a patient could be made to forget the pain in his foot if he was poked hard enough in the eye.

Q. I just joined an HMO. How difficult will it be to choose the doctor I want?
A. Just slightly more difficult than choosing your parents. Your insurer will provide you with a book listing all the doctors in the plan. The doctors basically fall into two categories: those who are no longer accepting new patients, and those who will see you but are no longer participating in the plan. But don't worry, the remaining doctor who is still in the plan and accepting new patients has an office just a half-day's drive away and a diploma from a third world country.

Q. Do all diagnostic procedures require pre-certification?
A. No. Only those you need.

Q. Can I get coverage for my preexisting conditions?
A. Certainly, as long as they don't require any treatment.

Q. What happens if I want to try alternative forms of medicine?
A. You'll need to find alternative forms of payment.

Q. What if I'm away from home and I get sick?
A. You'd better have plenty of insurance

Q. I think I need to see a specialist, but my doctor insists he can handle my problem. Can a general practitioner really perform a heart transplant right in his/her office?
A. Hard to say, but considering that all you're risking is the $20 co-payment, there's no harm in giving it a shot.

Q. Will health care be different in the next decade?
A. No, but if you call right now, you might get an appointment by then.

Hawaii Volcano Hiking

The Volcano Crater at Haleakala on the Island of Maui is almost 12,000 feet above sea level. We were there two years ago watching that great sunrise and fortunate enough to see the Geminids Meteor Shower. This is one of the best places in the world to watch the stars shoot across the sky.

God sure put on a great show that morning.

The little moisture in the air had frozen into crystals and you could notice it on the ground. It’s VERY dry here and you need to carry water and food on this trip.
I’m sure the park service carries a few people out of here every year when they underestimate the environment.

We decided to hike down the trail to the first “cinder cone” on the volcano floor and it turned out to be a five hour hike. Hiking down wasn’t bad but the trip back up was slow. It was hard to breathe and the trail is ciders and loose rock.

These guys were heading to one of the cabins on the volcano floor. There are four of them which can be rented for about $50 bucks but they are allotted by lottery drawing.

It takes years to get lucky enough to spend a night here.

When had lunch at the cinder cone and allowed our lungs to adjust as we began the long hike back to the crater rim. Its amazing life can still flourish here in this harsh environment but we found cactus and flowers that grow nowhere else but this crater.

Reaching the top after five hours was an accomplishment. This was the first time I had hiked above 6,000 feet. The old lungs are not the same they used to be when I was younger.

I’m not used to looking DOWN on the clouds.

Hawaii Sunrise

Sometimes you have to get up,
When the Rooster crows, early in the morning,

To watch a BEAUTIFUL SUNRISE.

Hawaii can cost big bucks,
But with some planning you can find these places
For as little as $45 a night.

It comes with its own alarm clock
(The Hawaiian Rooster).

In Hawaii there are
GREAT
SUNRISES and SUNSETS.

We actually rose at 4am to catch this moment.
It’s one of the most Spectacular Sunrises on Earth.

This morning it was below freezing
And there were ice crystals on the ground.

Hawaii Waters

There are many things to see and do in Hawaii.
This is a night picture of a volcano as we sailed up the coast.
It was taken close enough to have ash blown on the deck but still a long way away.
You don’t want to get any closer than this…

The trade winds and water temperature usually make the Islands perfect for Swimming and Snorkeling.

The fish are brilliant and we had the joy of swimming with some giant sea turtles.

We also swam in a “crystal clear geothermal pool” where you could see the heat rising from the sea floor and feel the water temperature when swimming along the bottom of the volcanic floor. There was NO sand here…only volcanic stones.

This made the water so clear you could see the length of an Olympic Swimming Pool.

We also kayaked up a river to a waterfall where we took a few moments to swim in a nice pool.

The water was so cold it made your teeth chatter.

After the two mile paddle to the end of the river (and the beginning of the stream with the waterfall) we hiked through the forest and listened to the sounds around us.

The woods are much different from West Virginia.

Hawaii

Honolulu was a welcome sight!
It took twenty five hours to get here from West Virginia.
There was snow and ice in the Midwest.

It seemed to take forever...

The Humpback Whales have arrived in the Islands.
They come from Alaska to have their Babies.


World regulations prohibit boats from approaching them.
There are strict guidelines to prevent collisions with the whales.
We saw one “breech” clear out of the water.
And we shut down the engines and listened to them talk.
It was an eerie language.
One approached us and was close enough for us to see its eyes.



And then we hiked across the lava.


The Volcano Kilauea is smoking in the distance.




We hiked around a new lava field and across an old one.




And the trail ended at the sea.





You would never know there used to be a town here.
It’s now below seventy five feet of lava.

Instructions For Life

Dalai Lama

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
3. Follow the three R’s: Respect for self- Respect for others- and Responsibility for all your actions.
4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
6. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
7. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
8. Spend some time alone every day.
9. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.
10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.
12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
13. In disagreements with loved ones deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.
14. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.
15. Be gentle with the earth.
16. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

Bicycle Zen Proverb

A Zen teacher saw five of his students returning from the market, riding their bicycles. When they arrived at the monastery and had dismounted, the teacher asked the students, "Why are you riding your bicycles?"

The first student replied, "The bicycle is carrying the sack of potatoes. I am glad that I do not have to carry them on my back!" The teacher praised the first student, "You are a smart boy! When you grow old, you will not walk hunched over like I do."

The second student replied, "I love to watch the trees and fields pass by as I roll down the path!" The teacher commended the second student, "Your eyes are open, and you see the world."

The third student replied, "When I ride my bicycle, I am content to chant nam myoho renge kyo." The teacher gave praise to the third student, "Your mind will roll with the ease of a newly trued wheel."

The fourth student replied, "Riding my bicycle, I live in harmony with all sentient beings." The teacher was pleased, and said to the fourth student, "You are riding on the golden path of non-harming."

The fifth student replied, "I ride my bicycle to ride my bicycle." The teacher sat at the feet of the fifth student and said, "Ahh.... I am your student!"

Boats in the Sand

This is a funny place to find a boat but there were several of these buried in the sand near the Pyramids. The Egyptians wanted their leaders to have everything they needed in the next world.

I found a lot of things confusing to me while we were here. Some of the smaller buildings we explored had writings carved into the walls that were thousands of years old. I was able to reach out and touch them. It was perfectly acceptable to do this but we weren’t allowed to take pictures of them.

I’m sure, only seeing this small area, I didn’t get a real perspective of life here on a daily basis but I imagine it is very difficult to live in this city.

Egypt is very poor, congested, polluted, and over populated. Sanitation was horrible and life seemed quite chaotic at times. There are millions of people living in Cairo and I saw very little organization or government.

I’ve been asked many times how I think the pyramids were built and my explanation is SAND ......there’s plenty of it here. As a matter of fact….it’s about the ONLY thing here.
You can build sand ramps and slide these big stones along them for miles.

Before leaving, we took a boat along the Nile and ate lunch while on the water.
Water is everything…and without it life will cease to exist.
I wonder how long it will be before we are all fighting over it…

Life is simple here….I’ve always believed the more simple the better but there is a point where it crosses the line. Our natural resources and its ability to support the population is a line not to cross. Poverty of this kind is a breeding ground for revolution.

Camels

When you see these guys in the desert, it’s time to fun for the hills!

(Actually this is one of the good guys)

This was the tourist police and it was his job to keep the panhandlers off you as you viewed the pyramids. The panhandlers here were the most aggressive I’ve ever seen anywhere in the world.

Every Egyptian panhandler knows these three phrases….

1) Shake my hand.
2) I am your friend.
3) Pay me. Pay me.

These are the Bad Guys….

They would literally place items in your hands and want paid for them.
This is free….just for you…I am your friend.
Five minutes later it was pay me….pay me….pay me.

Those unfortunate enough to be conned into getting a picture taken sitting on their camel found out it cost 10 Egyptian Pounds..... But that was just for getting "on the camel"….it cost 20 Egyptian Pounds to get "off the camel".

When a camel stands up you could easily break a leg jumping 15 feet to the ground.

If the camel jockeys got to be too much to deal with….someone would yell for the camel police to rescue them and the camel police would get real rough with them. They would whack them with a long stick.

Some would say it was all a big game….but I don’t think so.

My personal advise is “Don’t Get on The Camels” !!

Egypt

Several years ago a bus full of Japanese and Australian tourist were murdered along the road from Alexandria to Cairo.



The terrorist's goal was to disrupt the tourist industry in Egypt and the murders had a devastating effect on the economy. I had no idea what to expect as we loaded our buses and pulled onto the busy highway. It would take almost three hours of fast driving to get to the hotel near the Pyramids.



Sitting in the air conditioned bus I noticed the Arab in the dark suit seated behind our driver. He was meticulously dressed, physically trained and disciplined, and was ready to “expect the unexpected” in any situation. His automatic weapon was hardly visible cuddled to the inside of his jacket.


As our passports were recorded with the police and security agents, we pulled onto the desert highway. Immediately, we were surrounded by small Toyota pickups full of security people. I was beginning to feel like I was riding in the presidential motorcade.
They constantly moved vehicles in and out of our path with blaring horns, flashing lights, bullhorns, and sirens screeching a warning along the highway.


They NEVER allowed us to be “bottled up” in traffic.

The three hour drive passed quickly as we sped through the desert.
It’s a part of the world where there is nothing but sand and a few palm trees.
I could understand why the Nile is worshipped here. Water is everything and the very breath of life. Other than the narrow path of the Nile, it’s totally desolate.

Today is my birthday and I would be soon standing in front of the Giza Pyramids of Egypt. I will always remember this day.

Santorini

Most people have heard of the lost city of Atlantis. The legend says it was a thriving civilization that disappeared almost overnight. It was supposedly swallowed by the sea.







As we entered the harbor at Santorini, I could tell it was the result of a volcanic eruption.
It’s easy to visualize and there is still parts of these islands that are still smoldering.

The city is located on top of a nearly vertical cliff and you can see layers and layers of volcanic ash along the caldron walls.
Is this where the lost city of Atlantis used to be?

Well…one thing for certain, there was an enormous “Big Bang” here once and as I mentioned earlier, it’s still smoldering.

There have been “Big Bangs” several times in history but NOTHING like the one in Santorini.

It was devastating….

Science has determined there were tidal waves and destruction for hundreds of miles when this happened.

There are three ways to enter the city while moored in this harbor.

Take the elevator,
walk, or ride a donkey.

We took the scenic route up the elevator and wandered around the city for several hours. The city is a labyrinth of streets and it’s easy to lose yourself in this puzzle designed to hinder pirates and conquerors that have invaded this city for centuries.

We visited several other islands while in this area and we walked along beaches watching nude sun worshipers.

No….I didn’t take any pictures but I have fond memories.