Jeff Coudriet

In Skagway we only had plans to take the White Pass and Yukon Railroad in the afternoon so we took the morning to walk around town which seemed to be like a well preserved frontier town that it was. We stopped by the National Park Service building to pick up some self-guided tour brochures and were off on our way–although they lead free walking tours nearly every hour. It really is very small and easy to see on your own. Soon it began to rain...a little at first and then harder. Robert got a bit soaked but I had an umbrella. At some point we decided we had seen enough and didn't need to buy any tourist junk so we walked back to the ship for lunch knowing our train ride would be in the afternoon.

After lunch we went to the train--which was parked right by the docks and climbed aboard. Many of the cars are restored cars from the "olden days" and others are reproductions of period cars. They were nice enough and I marveled at the woodwork and design of the cars. While still in Skagway you passed an old cemetery, and the railroad yards where you could see some old cars and steam engines. Soon we began our climb into the mountain and although it was still rainy and somewhat foggy I must say it was spectacular. I often stood out on the train platform between the cars to take pictures. When you looked down you were often looking straight down a high cliff--not for the vertiginous! I guess all told the train ride was 3 hours or so total and quite well worth the money we thought. If it were a clear day I would have entertained doing the shore excursion that involved a ride up in the train and a ride back downhill by bicycle, but not in the heavy rain like today. That is one advantage to not "booking up" to early--you get to see what the weather is like and what your mood is like that day.

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