Today, for some reason, my thoughts ranged back to the time I spent in Alaska, 1968. Literature and stories of that place "where the world is young" had been gnawing at my imagination for a couple of years, so I just had to go find out if what I'd been hearing and reading were true. I arrived in Anchorage seven days later, driving through lots of rain and mud (the Alaskan Highway was not fully paved yet). I discovered a person needed a permanent address to even apply for work, and I did not want to jump through the hoops in front of me. With winter coming on, I did not think it a good time for me to be there, and with my financial resources steadily draining, I decided to get out of there. I thought a grand adventure would be to hitch a ride on an Alaskan ferry southward, so I drove the long road to Haines, the northern terminus of the ferry system, bought a ticket, and watched deckhands drive my Impala in the hold of the ship.
Prior to that I had a few hours to kill so I drove a few miles along the Lynn Canal and took the fishing pole out of my trunk. Never before and never since have I caught fish like I did that day. Those Dolly Varden trout bit and fought everything I threw at them, and I soon tired of it. Besides, a thickly wooded area surrounded me, and I remember worrying that a big bear might come out of the trees. I drove back to the loading dock at Port Chilkoot and turned my keys over.
The M. V. Wickersham was a sleek appearing, narrow bowed ship built in Sweden that carried up to 1300 passengers and 140 vehicles. She was a working vessel that served ports along the route with passenger and freight hauling. I found the receipt for my fare: $33.25 for me and $96.00 for the Impala. I rode for about thirty hours as we stopped at Skagway, Juneau, Sitka, Petersburg, Wrangell, Ketchikan, and Prince Rupert, BC. As we sailed along, I enjoyed sitting in the solarium lounge on the top deck with a beer in hand while I watched the world of the north country come at me through the glass. Mary and I went to Alaska by cruise ship to celebrate our 25th anniversary, but it did not compare with my first journey, more of which can be shared in the future.
