Alaska Cruise, page 2

Cruise to Alaska
June 30 to July 10, 2000
Page 2 - Denali - The Lodge

Onward to Denali
Princess observation cars

Marianne discovers a new way to dry socks!

Ain't train rides fun??...Sure, if you make your own fun!
Dottie and Sonny: Sonny! Get your hand out of there and wipe that smile off your face! Denise is watching!

Dottie and Sonny: Sonny! Get your hand out of there and wipe that smile off your face! Denise is watching!

HELP!!! GET ME OUT OF HERE!!! THEY WON'T LEAVE ME ALONE!!!

Adrienne, Mary, Marianne, and Georgianna

In case you don't remember, the lady in the middle is Brenda. (I think she liked our group better than the one she came with!) (Photo by Marianne)
OK, we looked around from the platform, NOW what?

OK, we looked around from the platform, NOW what?

Aren't these modern, fully-equipped trains great?

Hmmm, we're stuck on the train, wonder where we could go?
Got it! How about the BAR???

The OFFICIAL start of the Iditarod, Wasilla Cats CAN TOO pull sleds, so why were we disqualified??? 'Tain't fair!!
Along the way the train passed Wasilla, the home of the Iditarod Headquarters and the restart of the famous Iditarod sled dog race. Although the race is run from Anchorage to Nome, the start in Anchorage is deemed to be ceremonial. The first day's race (about 50 miles) is just for fun, and mushers often carry passengers for this part of the race. But it will be just the mushers and their dogs after the restart in Wasilla.
On the right are Georgianna and Marianne at the finish line in Nome.
(Yeah...sure! Funny, none of the rest of us went to Nome!)
(Photos from Marianne)

Views from the train

Denali Princess Lodge
Restaurant and main office and VIEW!

Relaxing at the lodge

View of the Alaska Range from the road across from the Lodge

Sonny, Dottie, Camille, and Lydia. Hey, did you remember to bring the wine?

Riding the rapids on the Nenana with John the Guide and his little rubber boat.
WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Marianne, Mary, Jan, and Denise. Hey, can you at least slow down while I tee up my ball?

Marianne, Mary, Jan, and Denise. Hey, can you at least slow down while I tee up my ball?

(Commercial photos courtesy of Lydia and Denise)

The outdoor cafe overlooking the icy Nenana River
THE river

THIS is how to take a picture: Hold the camera level, compose your picture, focus, yell 'smile,' and....SQUAT!

Smile, Herkimer, she's gonna take our picture.

Seems that everyone is either eating or taking pictures!

Mountains lost in the haze OK! Where's the dogs?
Lots of flowers and new uses for old dog sleds

OK, everybody say 'CHEESE!'
The Gang Assembled:
Back to front, left to right: Sonny, Joe, Werner;
Camille, Jan, Dottie, Denise, Mary, Adrienne;
Marianne, Lydia, Georgianna
(Picture taken by a nice stranger with Jan's camera)