Juneau, Alaska receives about 71 inches of rainfall a year, so when the sun comes out, you drop everything and get outside. You know the good weather will not last long, so you take full advantage of it. Forget any practical plans you made, and make new plans! My Aunt Char and I had a mix of weather on our recent visit, including several beautiful days (cloudless or nearly cloudless). On one of these days, we dropped our plans and drove out North Douglas road to the boat launching site with its spectacular views of Mendenhall Glacier and the Chilkat mountains. The scale of the panoramic view is enormous and difficult to capture in photos. Hopefully these snapshots convey some of the beauty.
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| Mendenhall Glacier from North Douglas |
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| Aunt Char at the boat launch (Chilkat Mountains in the background) |
We visited my brother and sister-in-law on Basin Road and had a wonderful time catching up in their sunny living room. Their friendly cat, Ahku, greeted us and made us feel very welcome! Last year we enjoyed conversation around their fire pit and watched a raven that came for snacks (see Alaska - The Last Frontier). Basin Road is full of mining history and natural beauty, and is the launching off point for several hikes, including Perseverance Trail, Mount Juneau Trail, and Mount Roberts Trail (see Juneau Hiking & Trails). I've done all three hikes (but not recently)!
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| Aunt Char on Basin Road (Mount Juneau terrain in the background) |
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| Tulips are just starting to wake up |
We also visited my parents at their home, which is filled with many happy memories spanning the decades. They built the house together, one room at a time, as our family grew, and it has continued to host many gatherings, dinners, desserts, and visits as well as the beauty of everyday life. We ordered out for most meals (Mar y Sol, Bullwinkle's Pizza, and Canton Asian Bistro), and Mom made a delicious home cooked pot roast! We also enjoyed great conversations, delicious desserts (See's candies and ice cream sundaes), and watched episodes of Madame Secretary in the evening. Life is good!
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| Enjoying time together |
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| Mom's delicious pot roast |
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| Our fortunes are foretold |
At the end of each day, Aunt Char and I settled into our room at Extended Stay America to reflect on our day, and read our novels. On our day of departure, we awoke early to heavy rain and gunmetal gray skies. We still chose to cross the street to Juneau International Airport on foot rather that call a cab. In Alaska, you don't let a little rain slow you down!
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| Rain over the Juneau International Airport |
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