519

Today is 519.

I stayed up very late because I was too tired I didn't feel like sleeping at night. I watched a few YouTube videso and organized the photos I took on the previous days. But I had to get up super early, like 7 am in the morning, to catch the train. I did see some homeless across the street, where the house owner Rob wrote on a paper saying "the Alaskan government released 300 homeless on the streets", and how it had hurt his business.

The cottage was so comfortable and nice that I didn't want to leave. It was so big, like 2 times the normal size, and I really really loved it. I felt like I could stay there for years. It was kind of tearful goodbye, and I left Anchorage while feeling so sleepy. Then I got on the train to Denali.

The train is very slow, but there are few people on board. Some people around me talked, and there is a solo traveler who would be spending 8 weeks here and 2 nights in Talkeetna, and there was a mid-aged couple who is spending 7 weeks here and then going to Vancover and Seattle. I kind of liked that idea but I got many things to do. The tour guide talked about the scenic places all along, and also said that they hired high school seniors on a 11 week program to be tour guides. I wondered how much they can earn. An old man said to a young worker on the train that he would gladly take the job had he been 50 years younger because the view is so fantastic. We got to Nancy Lake and tour guide said how people would choose to retire here. And most towns on the way doesn't even have electricity. Anyways, I ended up sleeping all the way to nearly Talkeetna, and missed much of the views, but I was in a better form.

The train is like 8 hours, but actually it only takes 4 hours to go by car. When we arrived at Talkeetna two Taiwanese, brother and sister, both kind of old, got on the train, and they were speaking in mandarin so I went over and said hi, and we chatted in Chinese. They had no cars and they also took the flight yesterday, and did a glacier landing. I talked about how I came from Shanghai, and I went from Seward to here, to which they replied, "intersting". They were going to Seward after Denali. The woman was always taking photos of the beautiful view outside, and exclaiming, "beautiful, beautiful", in mandarin with a strong taiwan accent. They were also going to take the boat cruise, and wanted to walk in downtown, but couldn't go on any hikes because they are not strong enough. Then they asked what I was studying and stuff, and how computer science degree is good. Then we passed a beautiful bridge about 900 feet long and the tree opened, and there was a big gorge.

Then I took a picture of them and they took a picture of me, and in the part of the train there was only us 3 people. The train slowed down at some points to very spectacular views of the whole mountain, but most times there are so many trees. We even got close to the tree line, where outside everywhere higher than the train there was just snow and rock and bushes, no trees anymore. We passed some interesting lakes. Then I fell asleep again.

Anyways we arrived at Denali at 4 pm, and I got in the shuttle to the hotel, and ate at a subway. I went across the street to book an ATV tour and a Jeep tour, then I ate at a subway. Then I got a stomachache and felt bad for 3 hours. Then the grade for computer security was released, and it turns out wasn't good, but wasn't as bad as I expected. I wondered how I managed to get above average scores on those hard classes even after doing almost nothing for a whole semester, and how I constantly struggled with my coursework even after studying really hard. Sometimes it seems like working hard at all from the perspective of grades or results, that everything is just the way it is. If I feel like doing something I accomplish it, no matter if I actually put in effort or not, while if I don't I just can't, and no matter how hard I worked the result doesn't change at all. Only thing I can do is choose what to do, for example, choose which course to study, choose between going on a trip or studying or watching YouTube. Then I thought that I should have put all my time into running and climbing mountains and going out sightseeing, and how I couldn't accept the fact if I am doing that right now but maybe I could be doing that after completing the degrees and immigrating to Alaska or Switzerland or whatever. However, I looked up University of Alaska Anchorage's computer science and it didn't appear in csrankings, and turned out to be like number 249, which is like pretty bad. That was so unfortunate for me.

Then I decided to call it a day since it was pretty late, and I am tired and can't do anything else. Denali looked like a tourism destination while Seward is like normal town, where there are actually people living there. Everywhere in Denali there is just tours, hotels, restaurants, etc.

Photos

Anchorage->Denali

Gorge

Me on the Train

Summit Lake

Mirror Lake

Denali Princess Lodge

520

Today is 520, and it is already a week since I arrived in Alaska, how time flies!

I slept all morning. Then I went for a hike, but I didn't know where to hike. My stomach hurt yesterday so I didn't have lunch and breakfast, and I went hiking without like anyfood, but it felt fine anyways. I went on the hotel shuttle bus to Denali visitor center, and there was 4 old people on it with me. One of them said he is 80 years old, and another said his grandson is 19 years old, and how he had moved to Anchorage in like 1970s, around the time my parents were born. Anyways, we chatted a bit, and they were from California and Anchorage. Then I thought about how they would be like a young boy like me 50 years ago. Then I thought about how precious time is, that I should be spending my time doing the thing that is truly worth it, then one flick of a second later I would be old as hell, and not able to walk anymore or whatever, and my stay in this world is short, so I think I should do the thing I want now that I am in my prime and not leave things to do when I am old. Then I went on Mount Healy Trail. The trail is much easier than the trails in Seward, and the road is clear and not steep. There is 1700 ft elevation gain. I almost run up the trails, and it got so hot that I was sweating, even in short sleeves. There are no snow on the ground, and I thought how much easier it is. There are tens of people going up the trail, and we all waved hi as we went past each other. Then the road became steeper, and the view opened up, and I could see mountains, but there are snows only on top. Denali melts faster than Seward, where above like 500 ft everything was covered with snow. The mud is wet everywhere, and I reckoned it is the melting snow, but I don't see any snow until to the very top. The wind is very strong, and it got quite dangerous after the end of mount healy trail. I was also almost out of water so I turned back. I felt quite energetic at the top of the mountain, then run down the mountain. There are two women who was also running, and they passed me as they were running even faster. Then I went back and got water and went on Rock Creek Trail.

However, Rock Creek Trail is not worth it, just like a walk in the park. I walked very quickly, and went to Denali Park headquarters. But there are few people, so I turned back. The trail turned out not to be short, like 4 miles round trip, and it took me quite a lot of time, like 1.5 hours. I decide to go back to hotel since it became late, and my legs are a little sore. I think if I had woken up earlier I could've hiked more. Then I thought that the mountains in Hefei are a piece of cake, and how well constructed the roads were. I could go up and down 3 times easily now. I figured it would feel strange to sleep before nighttime back in California.

Then I went on an ATV tour. The bus driver picked me up at Princess Hotel, and all the way to an ATV station. The driver said he was from Colorado, and went to all states except Hawaii, which he hopes to make it in his 50th birthday, and that it was his 2nd year in Alaska. Anyways, he is very humorous and interesting. I thought what a life that would be. The bus driver also said that the place to drive ATV is not in Denali National Park, since it is illeagal, instead, it is like 10 square mile range separated from the park. Then we got off the bus.

The ATV tour guides first introduced and talked about the rules, that we shouldn't stop or shoot photos or do those front flips, or we will be removed. The tour guides were called Rico and Stefan, They talked about how we need to follow the next car for a reasonable distance, so that we can see headlights and not get too close. It was my first time driving anything, and I was like the only person without driver's license. I sat inside the ATV, and the tour guide said we were only supposed to press break and acceleration and the wheel. Then we started to go up the mountain, and I felt very nervous indeed. Anyways, everything went on smoothly, and I was able to drive easily. The tour then slowed down and told me to stick on the same side as him as we would be passing other tours on the other side, and I followed.

The road was very bumpy, and the ATV seemed to go over anything, like rocks, pebbles, and muds with melted snow. I tried very hard to balance, but since the roads were full of ups and downs, the ATV went tumbling all the time, but it was still pretty smooth. The wheels doesn't turn really well, so sometimes when the tour in the front made a sharp turn I had to go through some bushes to catch up. We went at a reasonable pace, fast enough but also very safe from any collisions.

Then we came to a scenic view and we stopped, then Stefan talked a little about the mountains and lakes around. Stefan said it was like 10 hour hike up Mount Healy, and that the small town under there had 800 people in winter and 5000 in summer, since winter is -50 degrees. I was impressed how fast the ATV drive was, and in just minutes we drove up so high up. I would be so much more tired if I hike up here, though.

Then we went to a shallow river with a big sandcastle, and we stopped for like 15 minutes. Rico and Stefan joked that they had come at 2 am to build it together. Then they explained that it was formed by erosion, and there are sands sliding down as we were talking. The lake was called dry creek, and they also explained that the river can travel anywhere, and they were formed by erosion of rocks, and how on every different tours the river would seem different, and how a landslide just came a few years ago and blocked the river, filling everything with dead trees. I asked if I could possibly climb the sand-rock thing, and they said it was too dangerous. Then they also picked up a few pebbles, and explained how there might be jewels or gold in those rocks, and showed us how to make clay as ancient people, using a redish rock to carve on another. I touched the water and it was icy cold. The tour guides said we could drive over the river but the other tourists were very scared and thought it dangerous. In the middle evening sun everything looked so glamorous.

Rico and Stefan they came from Miami, and they said Miami was perfect in winter. Rico said that there are a really good highway in San Francisco to drive, and there was just ocean, mountain, and you. Then he said he had been to everything in the lower 48 states, so he ended up here in Alaska, which is the only place he had not yet explored. I said I wanted to go to Miami, and I thought that I was already planning my next trip to Miami, Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Key West. The two other visitors said they were impressed how I could drive like that without a license. The guides also talked about fishing, and how they would catch 10 big fish in an hour and get enough fish for a whole year down in the Otto Lake. Anyways I could feel myself much more adventurous and tough without my parents around, and I felt young and energetic. I said the hike in Seward is much harder than the hike in Mount Healy, and the guide said my shoes aren't right for hiking, and they had those long boots for fisherman, which goes over mud while I was wearing Nike Pegasus, which is like distance running shoes, but they seemed all right for hiking without snow, though.

By the end of the day I was driving like it is something I do every day in my life, and it felt so good coming down the dusty trail. The ATV was sliding but it is very safe. The guides said those ATVs can go across anything, like bushes, and they can go all the way to the top of the mountain. I saw those big horses on the way back, and the two horse in the front was leading a carriage filled with people. The tour guide waved and the horses and carriages moved to one side, allowing me to drive past on the other side.

The tour guides are so nice that I ended up giving all my 5 dollar change to them. But then I thought that they were only nice because I paid so much, and strangers are usually casual. Anyways, I am using my parent's money, so I am spending a lot, so they are nice to me because they want good reviews so they can get more money. I would feel much better if I earned all the money myself. Then I checked up the price of RV, and they were very expensive, like the Minnie Winnie I hitchhiked on actally cost like 250 dollars one night, which is more expensive than a hotel room, but they were for a group. Then I thought maybe next time I would be traveling with wife or girlfriend or something, but I don't have and girls may not be hiking with me for 10 hours everyday and they are always very hard to understand, so it would be much harder for me so I would probably be traveling solo anyways. I thought about driving around the Alaska, going to Homer, Seward, Alyeska, Talkeetna, Healy, Prudhoe Bay in my RV, and it sounds so cool and I could do so many hikes every day and sleep and get up whenever I want. Anyways, I don't think I can do that. Then I thought about staying a few more days, as I don't want to leave, but this trip is luxurious enough, and few people could afford 9 days in Alaska anyways. I thought about living here after getting appropriate degrees or something and it looked pretty good if I had a stable income. From every perspective Alaska is much better than Berkeley, while Shanghai and Hefei and just too crowded, and although I don't think that is too bad, I kind of lived there for almost 20 years and want to try something different for couple of years maybe.

Anyways, I didn't realize that it was 930, and the 2.5 hours passed so fast. On the drive back the driver got on the left shoulder of the highway, which is illegal in Alaska, hoping to spot a wild anyway, but moose didn't came out. Then we spotted two Dall Sheep on the mountain. Then we got back to the hotel.

Then I went on a gift shop and bought 2 t-shirts, and the staff was really friendly, and then I got really hungry, probably becuase I hadn't eaten lunch and had a small dinner, so I got like few snacks for me. Denali is merely a tourist attraction, but it is very beautiful indeed.

Photos

Mount Healy Trail

Rock Creek Trail

ATV

Dry Creek