Alaska Adventures: Trouble takes a party bus to Whittier

After a couple days hanging out in a sliver of the Kenai Peninsula, Mr. T and I motored back to Anchorage to meet up with friends and catch a "transfer" (aka bus) to Whittier where we'd get on our cruise ship. Our travel agent (yes, those still exist!) reserved a private tour for us and it's a good thing she did--the 14 of us were quite loud! (Well, the 12 adults made noise. The two kids in attendance seemed quite mild mannered by comparison, at least in public.) Along the way, we made a couple scenic stops including a nature preserve before boarding the ship.

A little morning sunburst outside of Moose Pass on the way to Anchorage.

I hated leaving this picturesque place!

Trouble, or should I say TROUBLE. From left: Dan, Nancy, Todd, Candi, moi, Mr. T, Carolyn, Diana, Debi, Tom, Ian and Dawn. Not pictured were the innocents, Harrison and Morgan. There may or may not have been a chorus of Red Solo Cup by some of the gang.

Our poor bus driver had to put up with shenanigans the whole way to Whittier where but a few ears listened to his random facts about the area.

I wondered if I'd worn out Mr. T's smile-maker a couple days into the trip.

We try to travel with friends a couple times per year--an adult trip in the spring and a family trip in the fall--usually close to home in Northern California. Every four or five years, we plan a big trip like this one.

After a couple scenic stops, we landed at a nature preserve where we got to see this baby buffalo!

And another moose!

Oh, this face.

Monsieur porcupine would not come out to play!

Now, I find moose intolerably cute but I would NOT want to be nose to nose with this posture in the wild. Can you say grumpers?

A couple lady mooses were on the premises.

Moose I.

Moose II.

Moose III.

Moose IV.

"I has an itch."

"Stop staring at me with that thing..."

"Imma get you!!!"

A musk ox.

My first bear sighting! This lady grizzly stayed asleep for much of our visit.

But she roused for a few seconds...

To look about.

And immediately go back to snoozin'.

But she must have smelled something...

And decided it was nothing...

So snuggley looking from far away!

A third pop up.

It lasted all of 10 seconds.

Before the slow descent.

Back to snoozing.

This black bear didn't make a movement though.

A monk with an ipad. Hmm.

Almost to Whittier!

My lovely friend Carolyn.

You get to Whittier via a long, long tunnel through a mountain which according to my quick search is the longest combined vehicle-railroad in North America. All I know is that it was dark and long and slightly scary for those with claustrophobic tendencies. The traffic is controlled throughout the day as it's a one-way pass.