Juneau, Alaska

This city brings me to deep thought. Everything here has been delivered by plane or ferry. EVERYTHING!!

There are no roads that lead to the capital city of Alaska. Yet they have Costco, two supermarkets, a Walmart, a courthouse, a vibrant and bustling downtown area and the infrastructure to support a population of 33, 000 Alaskans and up to 4 cruise ships of 8 to 10 thousand passengers each day!! It is impressive in this regard.

Another impressive feature here is the Mendenhall Glacier. This powerful formation is beating a hasty retreat, and the visitor center minces no words in telling us that it is due to global climate change. It is retreating 400 feet each year.  If you want to see this thing in your lifetime, hurry and get here! 

We experienced the climate that Juneau is known for, rainforest

We spent one night on the shores of Mendenhall Lake but even when the weather cleared I could not persuade Mike to get out the paddleboard.But the campground was in a beautiful location.  The next night we camped hear Eagle River and watched a beautiful sunset over the icy peaks in the distance.

After requisite stops at the Red Dog Saloon, Mexican food restaurant, grocery store and gas, we are off to the next port of the Inside Passage tour. Up next, Sitka.