Story
and photographs copyright 2008
by Richard Elgenson
RailNews Network writer
Finally, we started heading back to
the railroad track while Farrah
still was explaining some of the flora and fauna. The vial
contains an ice worm which was extremely small.
The float boats and canoes had already passed through the above
location past a small piece of ice stuck in the river.
While we were walking and talking, I
noticed the low rumbling sound of a locomotive. It turned out to
be another cruise train which was headed to Seward, about 45 miles
away. I collected a 30" video of the train passing.
There was still plenty more plant life to see. Above is Clasping
Twisted Stalk. OK, mushrooms are not plants.
The trail took us to the river with its view of the railroad bridge,
then inland and finally to the station.
We arrived about 15 minutes prior the the train. Once it arrived,
the few people here were loaded onto the train. We then moved
forward to the landing area to gather the floaters and canoers.
While this loading process was happening, several moose were spotted
across the river.
The train again proceeded to Portage
Junction to offload most of the float trip people. Normally, I
would stay on the train and go to Whittier, back to Portage and finally
back to Anchorage. However, this time, I had been instructed to
get home as soon as possible since I was going to join several friends
on a weekend fishing excursion back to the Russian River. We left
Anchorage later that same evening and spent all night fishing for
sockeye salmon. The following Monday, I headed to the airport to
fly to Kodiak Island for halibut fishing. The plan for Kodiak was
to spend three nights and two days fishing. Again, Mother Nature
intervened disturbing air traffic the morning I was to leave. I
finally made it back to California 2 days late.
