Juneau Report - Day 2

The weather on Day 2 was as pleasant as Day 1. Not a cloud in the sky. Too warm for even a light jacket. Just beautiful.

We spent the morning learning about GIS. But then during the afternoon we did some outdoor exercises with GPS. So we were able to better enjoy the day. My colleague had set up a scavenger hunt of sorts for teams to locate with their GPS units. It was a lot of fun and sort of reminded me of a challenge on the Amazing Race. In the end, everybody “won” and received cookies as their reward.

After work, I was given another driving tour by another colleague. This time we went across the bridge to Douglas, AK which is on Douglas Island just across the Gastineau Channel.

There was once a mine over there, and no bridge. People ferried back and forth on boats. Now it is a pretty large enclave with almost a beach town feel. There is even a “Big Sandy Beach” at one end of the populated area where you can play beach volleyball or take a dip in the extra chilly waters of the Gastineau Channel.

We went to “The Island Pub” there in Douglas and visited with some other current or former DNR employees before she drove me to the airport to catch my evening flight home.

I was pleased to discover that it would still be daylight when I arrived at our house. We followed the sun west as we flew over glacial rivers of snow and ice, high peaked mountains of solid rock, and wide expanses of untouched snow-covered icefields. I’ve flown over that view several times now. And each time I am struck by just how spectacularly beautiful this part of the world is. It is completely devoid of life, as if no living thing could possibly co-exist with its desolate beauty. Just water (frozen) and rock.