In the past few posts, I’ve told you about the tours I give everyday as a Driver and Guide. For today’s post, I want to tell you about some summer highlights, and all the fun I’ve had living and playing in Skagway, Alaska.
Here’s a look at how I’ve enjoyed my summer so far…
June Happenings
On the Summer Solstice, with over 19 hours of daylight, my co-workers and I headed up into the mountains to take a ceremonial polar plunge into Summit Lake, British Columbia. Around 9pm, we finally found a location on the rocky shoreline and stumbled our way into the frigid waters. Since ice had covered this lake only days before, it was a very cold, and very quick adventure!
Later in the month, my bestest buddy Katie and her lovely family came to visit from Anchorage. They were on their way to the Lower 48 down the ALCAN Highway and I felt special they made the side trip to see me!
July Highlights
In July, my sister Julie and her husband Doug arrived for a week of adventure. We had so much fun celebrating the Fourth of July, Skagway style. Since Skagway lives every day in 1898, an old-fashioned main street celebration was a great way to spend the day.
The morning started with a 4th of July Parade, where all the local businesses, tour operators and National Park Service came out to support the community.
Even my bus company joined the festivities!
Then we had an afternoon of Egg Tosses, Pizza Tosses and Tug-of-War with hundreds of contestants lining the street. The railroad employees impressed us all at the Spike-Driving contest and the local kids showed off their tricks for the Slowest Bike Race. 11pm fireworks in the waning light rounded out the wonderful day!
In the days after, we also enjoyed some local tours, including a great boat ride to Glacier Point and nearby Davidson Glacier.
I really do love that my sister seems to visit me wherever I am.
Later in July, Renee, a friend from the Pacific Crest Trail, came to visit and hike with me around Skagway. It was so fun to reconnect with her again.
At the end of the month, a big surprise came when an old college friend called to tell me he had just arrived by cruise ship to Skagway!
After Work Fun with Coworkers
Throughout the summer, at the end of every day – after all the tourists returned to their ships – my co-workers and I have shared some fun hikes, dinners, and bonfires at the beach. It’s been great to work with so many wonderful young adults. They make me laugh every day!
Playing for the Green Beans
In addition to working hard, we also played hard in our summertime softball league. I came to Skagway with absolutely no skills in hitting or catching, but our company team – the Green Beans – needed a fourth woman to qualify for the co-ed games, so I answered the call. In the end, the view from the softball field was worth it, and we ended the season winning the Championship of the Loser’s Bracket – firmly placing us in the “mediocre” category. After the way we started the season, we’re pretty proud of that feat.
I personally ended our softball season with three hits, two RBI’s and I finally caught a ball in a game! My crowning moment during the last game was when I finally got on base and had made it around to third, hoping my teammate up to bat would get a hit. Suddenly, my whole team started to yell from the dugout, “Bring Becky home!, Bring Becky home!”. The pitch was thrown, the bat made contact. I ran and ran, so excited to cross home plate, only to find out that the hitter had been thrown out at first and that was the final out of the inning. So, in the end my run didn’t count, but at least I got all the way around the bases. I can hold on to that memory for a long time to come! Go Green Beans!
All in all, it’s been a pretty great summer in Skagway!
