Temp: 43 degrees High 53
States Today: Alaska

Saying for the day: A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

A beautiful day for a Riverboat adventure in the afternoon. We pull out at 2 pm with about 750 others, most from Princess Cruise Lines. Our seatmates are from Australia (Margaret and John) and a lovely couple to chat with; they were with the Princess Cruises and were going on to London after their cruise. We enjoyed the chat we had with them. We saw lovely homes along the Chena River and even watched a planned event with a 1950 Piper Float plane, that is a ski plane in the winter. The pilot took off and landed for us; a bush pilot demo.

Then we headed down the river some more and stopped at the Trail Breaker Sled dog Training Center. Several acres on the river with lots of Alaskan Huskies being trained for the Iditarod. This is run by Susan Buchard's husband. Susan won the Iditarod twice and the only woman to do so - I think. She died several years ago from cancer but her husband keeps her memory alive with the Training Center.

Then we arrived farther down river at an Athabascan Village. In this area where the Athabascan live they live totally off of the land and survive 30-55 degrees below zero temps without any of the modern day conveniences we enjoy. We saw salmon filleting and put out to dry and smoke; a talk on how the natives tanned the hides and made beautiful clothing, made from very soft wolf furs, and saw the pen of reindeer that are always kept around a village. (domesticated caribou, actually; that's what reindeer are). Then we went to a special fenced in area and there were the sled dogs running around a large circled area for us to pet and see. And a talk about the whole sled dog process and questions answered.

Arrived back at the wharf at 5 pm, what a fun trip and very informative too.

Next stop: Denali NP, Alaska; Tek Campground, 30 miles into the interior of Denali. No internet, no phone, no electricity, no water and only bear spray, we'll be going dark. Heading out tomorrow. We will have our satellite communicator.

How long staying: 3 nights