On Monday evening, we packed up the car, prepared lunches for the long drive to Valdez (about 360 miles), and watched a little TV before going to bed. The plan was to leave the house by 8am and, as luck would have it, we were on time.

It was drizzling in North Pole, when we got on the Richardson Highway. But only about 50 miles out of town, the skies began to clear and the sun showed itself intermittently. I was happy about that, as I really wanted the kids to enjoy the gorgeous landscape as we made the drive.

A few hours into the drive, we arrived in Delta Junction. We planned to have breakfast there, as well as top off the gas tank so that I could make the trip all the way to Valdez without having to fill up in Glennallen, where gas prices were bound to be through the roof.

We ate at the Buffalo Center Diner - our regular stop when we travel the Richardson. The food there is good and filling, and the waitstaff is friendly and efficient.

Not long after leaving Delta Junction behind, the Alaska Range appeared on the horizon and Donnelly Dome came into view. The highway goes on and on for as far as the eye can see, almost looking like a movie set painted on a backdrop. The kids couldn't get over how much open space there is here. They are accustomed to the hustle bustle of a big city. Even more amazing to them was only seeing a handful of other vehicles on the highway.

We stopped along the way to take photos and stretch our legs. Our first stop was Black Rapids Glacier, and the boys walked a short distance down the hill to get better views. Soon after we approached the Rainbow Mountains, Gulkana Glacier, and then Summit Lake - some of the most beautiful stops along this portion of the highway. We ate on the go, enjoying the sandwiches we packed that morning.

The drive went quickly, and soon we were on the final stretch into Valdez. I love this portion of the drive, and the kids loved it too. The Wrangell-St Elias Mountain Range was quite visible and gorgeous on the horizon. We stopped at Worthington Glacier and the kids decided they wanted to touch the ice.

The hike to the face of the glacier isn't easy, and with Becky's knee problem and having to use a cane, it was very slow going for them. We spent more than an hour there, and the boys helped Becky navigate the rocks and small streams. They made it, and I was able to get photos of them from the viewing area. Seeing them next to the glacier really put it into perspective for me. I knew it was large, but when they stood by it, I realized the true scope of it.

The final stretch of road after Worthington Glacier goes through Keystone Canyon. The Lowe River parallels the road, and waterfalls stream from the tops of the mountains. The two most impressive (and most photographed) waterfalls on this highway are Bridal Veil Falls and Horsetail Falls. We stopped at both for photographs.

It was overcast and damp in Valdez. We were all glad for warm sweatshirts, and quickly put them on. We checked into the hotel, unloaded the car, and then drove over to Allison Point in search of bears. We had heard from locals that the bears were coming down out of the hills around the salmon hatchery and fishing for the pinks that were there in the hundreds. Of course we wanted to see them! We only saw one black bear, and he/she spooked quickly and ran back into the woods - but not before I was able to snap a photo.

After exploring Allison Point a little bit, and driving around the town of Valdez, we went back to the hotel (Totem Inn), enjoyed dinner in their restaurant, and then watched a little TV before going to sleep. We all slept like logs.

Our glacier cruise was scheduled for 2pm, which gave us a chance to sleep in (we were up by 9am anyway), enjoy a hearty breakfast or lunch, and do some more exploring.

We chose to have breakfast at the hotel restaurant, and then filled our backpacks with water and some snacks for the cruise, as well as our rain gear and fleece jackets, because we knew it was going to be cold out on the water. Once we were packed up, we drove over to the Valdez Museum to check out the exhibits.

There are two museums (one is an annex), and both are well worth the visit. In the original museum, you can view journal entries and photos from several prospectors who came to Alaska during the gold rush. There is also a segment with information about the Exxon-Valdez oil spill of March 24, 1989. It's a fantastic little museum and I'd highly recommend it. The $5/pp cost also entitles you to a ticket to the museum annex. The annex is located down by the city dock and is in a warehouse. While there, you can watch a video with live footage from the devastating 1964 earthquake. Old Town Valdez (prior to the earthquake) is depicted in a 1:20 scale model and quite impressive and detailed.

Soon it was time to meet at the dock for our trip on the LuLuBelle. This was my first time going out on the LuLuBelle. The last time we cruised in Valdez, we booked our trip with Stan Stephens. There are some differences with these companies, and I'm not sure who I would choose to book with on future trips.

The LuLuBelle is captained by Captain Fred Rodolf, a humorous man with many stories to tell about Valdez past and present. I do love to learn about Alaska, especially when I have guests in town. But I'm sorry to say that Captain Rodolf's constant narration soon became annoying - especially during the later hours of the trip when most of us would have preferred a more peaceful ride home, enjoying conversation with our boat mates. The intercom system was very loud, and we found ourselves having to scream to be heard over it. Many of us arrived back in port with headaches. As the trip wound on, the stories he told became silly personal accounts about neighbors, pets, and other subjects of no interest to some of the passengers.

On a positive note, the boat itself is absolutely stunning! The teak wood gleams with polishing, there are oriental rugs in the lobby area, the upholstered benches are comfortable, and the light fixtures and trim are elegant. The two 'heads' (bathrooms) were extremely clean and well-appointed. In the front of the boat, there is a snack bar where you can purchase tea or coffee, juices, and snacks or small meals. The prices are typical "Alaska". A hot dog, bag of chips and small drink is $5. We were glad we had packed our own food. I was very disappointed that there wasn't complementary tea/coffee - especially after standing outside in the chilly wind. (Stan Stephens provides lunch and unlimited tea/coffee/water).

The cost to ride the LuLuBelle was less expensive than the Stan Stephens tour, and because the vessel is so much smaller, we were able to get into tight places, and between icebergs near the glacier. The LuLuBelle also didn't have a planned itinerary. When wildlife was spotted, we stayed as long as we wanted. They advertise that their cruise is 5 hours (2pm - 7pm), but that it will go longer if there is a lot of wildlife to see. We didn't get back to port until 8pm because of the whale watching we did. That was a definitely plus about this cruise outfit!

All in all, I enjoyed both of my experiences when cruising out of Valdez, but if I were to do it again, I might find myself going back to Stan Stephens, despite the added cost, because it was a more peaceful excursion. (These are my opinions only, based on my personal experiences). Now on with the photos...

		The Dall Porpoise swam alongside the boat
Blowholes
	Just a little cold!	Near Columbia Glacier
		I love this photo! Hahaha!

When we got back from the cruise, we had dinner at Mike's Palace (pricey but delicious). With full bellies, and feeling extremely drowsy from the cruise, we were all asleep in less than an hour.

We were up early, and quickly packed up the car and straightened up the hotel room. Once again we had breakfast at the hotel restaurant. On the way out of town, I stopped at Valdez Glacier, and then went in search of the Old Pioneer Cemetery. We found it, and also saw signs posted on the trees which warned of bear activity in the area. That put us a little on edge, but we got out of the car and walked between the wooden headstones anyway.

We saw eagles in the trees nearby, but no sign of bears. Becky enjoyed reading the dates carved into the wood marking each grave and took a lot of her own photos. We couldn't loiter for too long, as we had a long drive ahead of us.

We stopped a few times on the way back to Fairbanks. Once, at the Wrangell-St. Elias overlook and again in Glennallen to stretch our legs. On the way home, the sun was blazing and the skies were blue - much different than our drive down a few days earlier. We just had to stop at Summit Lake for another leg stretch and to enjoy the views. We were back in Fairbanks by 5pm - tired and looking forward to doing nothing but laying around and watching TV. Steve cooked us a delicious dinner of chicken and baked potatoes, which really hit the spot after living on sandwiches and restaurant fare for two days.

Old Valdez area	Valdez Glacier (in background)
Old Pioneer Cemetery			Eagles in trees
	Rest stop and Wrangell Mtns.
		Copper Center Cabin
Summit Lake

Next up.... a trip to Denali National Park.