The Great One

Sunday mom and I got on the train to Denali (it means the Great One in Athabaskan). The trail had these upper observation decks..you could only spend 20 minutes up there if it was full and other people wanted seats. We spent almost the whole trip up there haha. I saw some moose too. It takes 4 hours to get to Denali by train (about 2 by car). We got there (it was cold!) and got checked into the hotel, then went on the Tundra Wilderness Tour, which takes 7-8 hours. It goes 60 miles into the park (all of it is bigger than Massachusetts). The guide said Denali is one of the best preserved ecosystems in the world. The wildlife we saw were Dall sheep (little white specks on the mountain :P), birds (gyr falcon, magpie, golden eagle, etc), caribou, Arctic ground squirrels, Arctic hares (mostly on the drive back..there was a ton haha. There are Arctic hares here at the house actually), grizzly bears (we saw a whole family of them. The guide had a camera that zoomed really far and was put on TV so we could see the wildlife up close), lynxes, pika, and moose. Someone spotted a moose near the hill and another on the left side of the bus (this was coming back). Then we drove more and there was a moose and her two children in the middle of the road! There were cars surrounding them and these IDIOTS were getting out of their cars. Moose mothers are VERY protective of their kids and may charge you if threatened. She didn't charge this time though..they went into the woods. Then the idiot guys went to the side of the road where the moose went and were dancing with flowers. Ew at people ruining people's chances at watching wildlife peacefully! A little bit down the road there was a lynx resting (it blended in well..somehow someone saw it and other people came). Then we drove more and saw ANOTHER moose with her child! Haha wow. Our tour took NINE hours cause of stopping for wildlife haha. Then we went back to the hotel

Yesterday mom and I spent the morning shopping. I didn't have much money and I wanted to buy myself and Dana something (later dad called and he said he gave me $100 in my account! This was in my Bank of America account and I had brough my Wells Fargo card. It was too late anyway but still :P). I did manage to though. Then we went to a dog sled demonstration. The dogs were freaking out when they were getting hitched up haha. They looooove doing it. The sled dogs patrol Denali in the winter. We could pet the dogs if they were close to you or if they came to you. Then we went to the train station and took the train home. I only saw one moose this time (I spotted it first :D)

( pics! )

Today's stupidest quote: When you're talking about me, keep your mouth shut (Toronto Mayor Allan Lamport). Sunday's: Our choir sang in a broadcast from Minneapolis. It was nice to hear them and realize they were nearly a thousand miles away (in a church bulletin). Yesterday's: Game show host Les Dennis: Name something sold by gypsies. Contestant: bananas (on the game show Family Fortunes)