Dry Suits on the River

Monday, July 2

Yesterday morning we braved the early morning cold and fog and headed down to the river where we had signed up for a "canyon run" in rubber rafts. This was a glacial stream, which never gets about 38 degrees, so we were all fitted out with "dry suits." These have gaskets at the ankles, wrists and neck to keep any cold water out lest you should fall in. Then we were given hats, wool gloves, and outer rubber gloves, boots. Once we looked surely ready for a trip into outer space (and had signed away our lives on release forms that said we understood the risks we were about to take included the possibility of death) we cheerily boarded out rafts, just as the rain stopped. Once again Chris and I boarded the front -- although there was less competition for these seats, and headed out into the stream just as the sun (yes, again!) came out. It was a fine adventure, though more of a class II than the class III or IV that had been promised. We were not complaining; after all we hadn't challenged the death clause in the contract either....

The train trip in the "dome car" from Denali down to Anchorage was a bit two leisurely for my taste -- about 8 hours. We arrived last night at 8:30-- ish. The term "ish" is the Alaska term for time which, like the sun, doesn't keep rigid hours from day to day. When the scenery was beautiful it was nice to go slowly to get a good shot, but once we were on the flat again, or in the trees, it was a bit tedious. Luckily the car was only 1/3 full so we could switch from side to side and even stretch out on long bench seats at the back for a cat nap.

Now we are in Anchorage, where we decided to spend four nights, in part because Chris managed to arrange through a friend for us to stay at the Sheraton for $45 per night. This will help to balance out those expensive nights at monopoly prices outside the park. Up in Fairbanks on the 26th we did see midnight sun -- watched it finally set at 12:06. Last night here in Anchorage on July 1 it set at 11:28 right outside our window over the Cook Inlet.

Here is a question to which we do not have the answer: What do you do with fireworks on the fourth of July when it doesn't get dark?

Here is another correction from the last letter: The family was Binkley and the river was Chena. Never much for spelling, I donžt take time for spell checking unless the payment arrangement I use leaves extra time.

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