Juneau

Foggy but still warmer than I anticipated. Bummed because I got a heel blister yesterday!! Rats! After all the walking in SF, why now?? Back to the weather - it's been marvelous: warm in the low/mid 60's very different from what I expected.

Juneau is the only state capital you cannot get to by road!! Imagine how far off that is! I'll have to redefine my use of "far away," I don't believe I can claim The Burg is distant any longer. The Road is the longest piece of paved way in the city: 47 miles long - one end stops with a sign reading "The end" and the other terminus sports a sign reading "The Other End." Alaskan humor!

As we were awaiting our tour bus this morning, I asked about a trash can and was directed to this: 

 I was a bit confused until I look at the top of the one next to it and read this notice:

 I will never complain about Florida's gators again!

Our day began with the impressive Mendenhall Glacier. I was in error yesterday - it comes from the Juneau Icefield, not the Sitka one. We had perfect viewing weather - bright with clouds and a hint of fog, so the light refraction was perfect and the blue in the glacier is evident! I absorbed all kinds of facts about the glacier, but they are not relevant. This is one of those natural places of wonder that, like the Grand Canyon, you can snap shots of but never really do it justice. Nonetheless, share Barbara's and my morning:    

 

 

 

 

 

This is as close as I ever want to come to an Alaskan Brown Bear and this one is DEAD!

 

 A remidner of Goleta's lecture: the lichen requires no dirt and just sort of lies on the rock until it dies, when its remains begin the process of creating soil. Barbara and I "tested" this fact and it is true!! The lichen lifted with one finger!

 

Our final look at the United States' largest glacier!!!