August 26. One week into our Alaska adventure, and I was feeling the toll. Or was it mushroom spores? No, more likely it was due to the coughing geezer from our Denali bus tour. (See previous posts for further explanation.)

While waiting for the train from Denali to Anchorage, we visited the Denali Visitor Center. We watched a movie, and explored the very nice museum and displays.

Today was a travel day. Perhaps I could sleep off whatever was kicking my tail while riding the Wilderness Express Dome Train. What a treat! I wish I could have enjoyed it more, but I napped quite a bit. 

We arrived back at Lakefront Anchorage Hotel. Leonard repacked our bags and in general managed everything, while I slept. I was beginning to worry about the rest of our trip. How was I going to accomplish my dream of catching a halibut if I couldn't get out of bed?

The next morning, August 27, I was in a fog. Leonard somehow got me and our luggage on a small plane to Kenai. He picked up a rental car and drove us to Fish On! We settled into a comfy cabin. I was in full blown whatever-it-was-I-caught. Ugh! Medicate!

The over-the-counter med helped. Between that and my asthma inhaler, I thought I might survive. My poor husband was getting pretty darned bored. And the cabin had no TV! Which was actually great. Until your spouse was a useless lump shivering under a pile of blankets.

Thursday, August 28, was supposed to be our fly-in to a lake to fish for salmon and see bears. We had already learned the weather is king in Alaska. The fly-in was postponed. Rearranging our scheduled fishing trips was the order of the day. The next several days, actually. Fish On! did a heroic job of constant juggling to make sure we got in our fishing.

Tad filled in at the last minute. We met him at the Kenai River Pillars Boat Launch. It began sprinkling. Tad asked if I had rain gear, and that I'd best put it on now. So I struggled with my Frog Toggs, pulling the water-impermeable pants and jacket on over my clothes. The prospect of fishing helped me rally, despite the ominous warnings posted at the boat launch about a recent bear attack. I mustered the energy for a day of river fishing, operating mostly on adrenalin and excitement.

As we motored away with Tad on the Kenai River, images of Captain Quint from Jaws flitted through my head. Tad had an opinion or conspiracy theory for every situation. We were highly entertained.

It rained. And rained. And rained some more. In my brain-fogged condition, I had put on running shoes instead of my water-resistant hikers. My feet were soon soaked, but the rest of me stayed dry. Yay, Frog Toggs! 

Tad was a character, but say what you will that guy got us on silver salmon. He was determined to help us catch our limit. After hauling in my one salmon, and watching Leonard catch two, I was done. Leonard was a bit disappointed I wanted to pack it in. Tad would have endured the rain even longer to ensure we got our catch. 

Heading back, we stopped at Jolly Wally's to have our salmon flash-frozen, Then back at the cabin, I took a long, hot shower and crawled into bed.

​Our first experience catching fish in Alaska was amazing. Wet, chilly, and long, but amazing. Could I hold off the cold, flu, or debilitating mushroom allergies attacking me long enough to go on our halibut hunt?

Our Alaska adventure provides inspiration and ideas for book three in the Tapestry Tales YA science fiction series, written with co-author Merida Bass under the pen name Ann Belice, coming in 2026. Books one and two are available now in e-book and paperback. Audiobooks are currently in production!
Broken Strands: book two
​Frayed Dreams: book one
And keep an eye out for Book Three in my Rose Creek Mystery series - The Body in the Hayloft.
Coming in December, the first in the much anticipated Ninja Grandparent Placement Mysteries, Grandpa's New Year's Relocation.

Continuing the Alaskan adventure, I said last week that we had ambitious plans for Monday, August 25th. After a 5 1/2 hour morning bus tour of Denali, we were ready to stretch our legs. 

An evening guided hike in the Denali National Park and Preserve was just what we needed to get a close up Alaskan experience. We had learned by now that Alaska tour guides are seasonal employees with careers during the off season. They often have a wealth of information layered with personal opinions. 

We met Joseph Kurtz outside the Denali Park Village Lodge and immediately suspected we were in for a treat. He exuded long-hair tree-hugger hippie vibes, but Joseph was much more complex than our initial impression.

Only two other couples joined our tour. This was a welcome relief after our packed tour bus that morning. Joseph drove the van into Denali National Park. 

He led us into the woods, then promptly stopped. Plucking the buds off a plant, he offered us a sample of the natural pain reducer. The oldest man in our group offered to test Joseph's claim. He had back trouble, and general aches and pains. When this gentleman didn't keel over dead, we gained confidence in our guide's wisdom.

Into the woods we trooped behind our leader. Joseph was part naturalist, part herbalist, and part doomsday prognosticator. The Alaskan spruce forest will be consumed completely by beetles. (Not unlike our Colorado forests under attack by pine beetles.) In ten or twelve years, we were all going to die, victims of climate change.

Joseph shared a bit more about his personal life than necessary, but it was all entertaining. His wealth of knowledge about plants, herbs, and fungi was impressive.

I was captivated by the gazillion different kinds of mushrooms spread over the forest floor. I wasn't alone. Another woman on our tour kept stopping to photograph yet another size, shape, and color of mushroom. 

Joseph asked us if anyone was suffering allergies. I was among those raising a hand. Joseph said breathing mushroom spores could cause a reaction. My sinuses were acting up. Was I truly enchanted with the temperate rainforest, so different from our powder dry Colorado forests? Or was I under the influence of mushroom spores?

The hike continued with a view of the mountains, a tutorial of what to do if we encountered a bear or moose, and more information about plants to use for healing teas than I could ever remember.

Back at the hotel in the dark, Leonard and I agreed that we'd had too little time in Denali. We began seriously entertaining the idea of returning.

The second half of our trip began soon - fishing!

The mushroom experience inspired ideas for book three in the Tapestry Tales YA science fiction series, written with co-author Merida Bass under the pen name Ann Belice, coming in 2026. Books one and two are available now in e-book and paperback. Audiobooks are currently in production!
Broken Strands: book two
​Frayed Dreams: book one

On Monday August 25th, we had ambitious plans lined up. At 8:50 am we boarded Bus 13 for the Denali Tundra Wilderness Tour.

So far on our Alaska trip, we'd managed to avoid crowds. Today, we shared the bus with 46 other tourists. Most were from a cruise ship, while half a dozen folks were lone travelers like us.

My husband Leonard was obsessed with seeing a moose. I'm not sure why. We have moose in Colorado. We've seen a cow and calf up close and personal in the wilderness. But his goal was to see the creatures Alaskans claim are as plentiful as squirrels.

​Denali National Park and Preserve is remarkably undeveloped. I was thrilled to see rough gravel roads and a lack of touristy amenities.  On a rest stop along the way (basic National Park outhouses), I discovered mushrooms. Everywhere. An amazing variety of types. This would not be the end of my interaction with the fungi. No, I didn't sample them. I have far too much respect and trepidation about consuming wild mushrooms.

​Back on the bus, and on to the interior. Or as far into the park as we could go. A bridge was out somewhere ahead. There was only so far you could travel by motorized vehicle on the gravel road. The bus driver kept us informed about the history of the park. It was created mostly to preserve the Dall sheep. 

A word about tours: I was glad we opted for guided tours. This was our first trip to Alaska. Potentially our only - who knows? The guides were informative, and gave us context to understand the scenery, history, and animals. If we go again, we might go even more freeform. But for this trip, I was glad to receive the on-going tutorials on all things Alaska.

Our first animal sighting was caribou. Then Dall sheep. And finally, bear! A mama and her cub eating berries on a hillside. I was shocked to learn only 15% of visitors see bears at Denali. My phone camera was inadequate to capture decent photos, but I share some blurry snapshots below.

We also caught a glimpse of the side of Denali through the clouds. This is rare. One Alaskan called Denali the "shady lady" because she hides behind the clouds. I was happy to verify the mountain did exist, even if I didn't get a full-on view.

And then, as we're almost leaving the park, we see a moose. Yep, it looks pretty much like a Colorado moose. But it's in Alaska!

The tour was over five hours. I was getting a little tired of being crammed in a sardine can bus with dozens of other people. Especially the geezer sitting behind me who sounded like he was hacking up a lung. Spoiler alert: he was contagious. Or was it the mushrooms? Part two of August 25 coming next week.

This Alaska adventure is providing inspiration for book three in the Tapestry Tales series, written with co-author Merida Bass under the pen name Ann Belice, coming in 2026. Books one and two are available now in e-book and paperback. Audiobooks are currently in production!
Broken Strands: book two
​Frayed Dreams: book one

Talkeetna became my husband's favorite Alaskan town. We were scheduled to go on a glacier tour Sunday morning. Weather postponed the flight. We were learning that weather dictates plans, especially when small planes are involved.

So we wandered around Talkeetna. The chatty bus driver yesterday informed us this small town was the inspiration for the television show Northern Exposure. But she expressed her strong opinion that they got it all wrong, and didn't even film it in Alaska.

The charming little town was perfect for strolling. We did the tourist thing, buying souvenirs and gawking at the rugged buildings.

We received a call. The flightseeing tour was back on, but Denali was socked in with bad weather. Would we still want to go on a flight to see glaciers? Well, we had nothing else on our agenda, and we couldn't cram anymore souvenirs into our luggage, so the altered schedule sounded like a good plan. 

The K2 Aviation company was walking distance from Talkeetna. We strolled over. I learned from our pilot Jack that the plane we were taking had been used during the Vietnam war. He assured us they built planes to last back then. Already with some trepidation about small airplanes, I was certain I would not enjoy this flight.

The plane seated ten passengers. We climbed aboard, buckled in, and pulled on headsets. The plane lifted off smoothly. Soon, I relaxed. The pilot was experienced and confident. 

He flew to his favorite places. From the air, we saw the Colony and Knik Glaciers. A herd of Dall sheep were travelling up a hillside. The pilot pointed out a dog sledding camp far up on a snowy mountain. The pilot pointed out a dog sledding camp far up on a snowy mountain.

We had hiked to the Exit Glacier in Seward, and viewed glaciers from a boat on another tour. Seeing them from the airplane impressed on me the magnitude of the ice fields. My photos can’t deliver the feeling of how huge the expanses of ice and the glaciers are.

You might notice we are wearing heavy coats. At times they were overkill, but the weather seemed chilly to us. This was late August in Alaska. While parts of the lower 48 were still sweltering, and even Colorado was pretty darn warm, Alaska was already slipping into fall weather.

The elusive mountain Denali was hiding today. Would we get to see it tomorrow? 

This Alaska adventure is providing inspiration for book three in the Tapestry Tales series, written with co-author Merida Bass under the pen name Ann Belice, coming in 2026. Books one and two are available now in e-book and paperback. Audiobooks are currently in production!
Broken Strands: book two
​Frayed Dreams: book one

This is number eleven for me. Eleven mystery short stories published in AHMM. Needless to say, I am thrilled.

Set in modern day Colorado, rancher Katie is wrangled into judging a televised hot sauce contest at a mountain farmer’s market. Things heat up when a bottle of Banned in Hades hot sauce goes missing.

The story was inspired by the Woodland Park Farmer’s Market. Critique partner Beth, who lives up the pass, told me about this eclectic mix of local produce, hand-crafted soaps, and art & crafts. Yes, there are multiple booths selling hot sauces.

Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine offers an amazing selection of short mystery fiction bi-monthly. It’s available in electronic and physical versions.

#AlfredHitchcock'sMysteryMagazine
#shortmysteryfictionsociety
​#farmersmarket

Who needs this madness, anyway? I'm chatting about writing fiction at Type M for Murder today.

#typemformurder
#thewritinglife
#motivationtowrite

I'm skipping ahead a day in our Alaska adventure. If you missed my post about Friday, check out my boat tour of the glaciers blog posted on Sept. 14, An Alaska Mini-Mystery. 

Saturday was a travel day. We needed a restful day already. Early that morning, we enjoyed the freedom of our self-directed tour. After a buffet breakfast in the hotel, we walked to the docks, and a maritime monument. The Seward Mariner's Memorial was a sobering reminder of the dangers of the sea.

A bald eagle perched on the dock. Sure, we've seen bald eagles in Colorado, but this was an Alaskan bald eagle! Harbor seals competed with people fishing from the shore. The view of the harbor full of boats, with mountains in the background, was unlike anything we could see at home.

Mid-morning, we boarded a Park Connection Motorcoach from Seward to Talkeetna. The bus was nice, and the views stunning. We had an hour layover in Anchorage. My husband and I snuck up to a balcony on the third floor of the Dena'ina Convention Center to eat our brown bag lunches. 

Ever on the alert, my husband noticed an event in a nearby park. We hustled over a few blocks to see the Hmong Festival. The Hmong people came from southern China and southeast Asia. The park was filled with families in traditional, colorful costumes. Although we couldn't stay long, this unexpected discovery became one of our favorite moments of the trip.

Back on the bus, we had a new driver. The school teacher eagerly shared Alaskan history, gossip, and interesting trivia, keeping us entertained all the way to Talkeetna. The bus went up a long driveway to the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge. We were surprised to realize we'd booked a night in a fancy resort. Wishing we were staying longer, but wondering whether we could have afforded a longer stay, we made the most of our evening.

Tomorrow we made another unexpected discovery: Talkeetna, Alaska. But we'll go there on my next Sunday blog.

​My Alaska trip will provide background for book three in The Tapestry Tales YA science fiction series, written with co-author Merida Bass under the pen name Ann Belice, coming in 2026. Books one and two are available now in e-book and paperback. Audiobooks are currently in production!
Broken Strands: book two
​Frayed Dreams: book one
Watch for Grandpa's New Year's Relocation in December. And watch for the cover reveal for book three in the Rose Creek Mystery series, The Body in the Hayloft.

We planned this as our once-in-a-lifetime, celebrate retirement trip. A bucket list item. We flew into Anchorage Tuesday, and had already enjoyed a Wednesday bicycle tour. On Thursday of our Alaska adventure, my husband and I were up early. We had to catch the train to Seward.

The Alaska Railroad travels 470 miles, from Seward to Fairbanks. Riding a train was another bucket list item. My husband had worked as a welder on the railroad in Wyoming in his youth. We've both ridden trains, but we wanted another chance to enjoy the charm of travel by rail.

We rode in the Gold Star Dome car. Of course, our travel companion for the last 18 years Curious George was along for the ride. Breakfast in a dining car, views out the dome top, it was elegant even in our hiking clothes.

My husband had done most of the trip planning, using Alaska Tour & Travel. You pick what you want to see and do, and they arrange an itinerary and make reservations for you. Unlike more structured tours, you aren't with the same people, and you're responsible to get yourself where you need to be. It suited us perfectly, although we could see the appeal of having a guide shepherd your travel.

Arriving in Seward, we dropped off our luggage at the Gateway Hotel, which was clean, bright, and had the most helpful, cheerful staff. We hunted down lunch at a funky diner adjacent to the hotel, Red's. We tried unsuccessfully to finish the massive and delicious burgers and shakes.

​Next up was the Exit Glacier Tour. We rode in a van with two other couples to Kenai Fjords National Park. Our guide led us on over two miles of hiking trail to a glacier viewpoint.

My photos do not require a spoiler alert. I've seen glaciers on nature documentaries and in photos. Nothing can prepare you for seeing them in person. The Exit Glacier was massive and stunning. Cold air flowed off the white and blue ice.

The day drew to a close. We ate at a place we were told locals preferred. It was perfectly adequate. 

The Alaskans we met embodied the term Rugged Individualist. They were friendly, loved their state, and seemed eager to share the snippets us tourists could absorb in our limited time.

I have chronicled Friday. See An Alaskan Mini-Mystery posted 9/14 for the amazing fjord tour via boat.

Already, we were doubting our certainty that this should be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But we had many more days of travel to decide if our initial impressions of Alaska deserved our wild enthusiasm.

On our recent trip to Alaska, I enjoyed learning about a very different culture of the state. Most of the population lives near the coastline. Unlike dry Colorado, there is plentiful rain, and lots of rivers, lakes, and ocean.

My first morning in Anchorage, our hotel was on a small lake that is an active aerodrome. Float planes had been landing and taking off from the water constantly the previous day.

The air was too foggy early the next morning to fly. The peaceful quiet was soothing. ​I was eager to explore, but my husband was still getting ready for the day.

I walked along the lake alone, breathing the humid air. Nothing felt like Colorado. That was a good thing. Why take a vacation to a place that's the same as your home? I'd seen float planes on TV and in movies, but had never seen one close up. I was enchanted, looking at the little airplanes with pontoons instead of tires.

In a state with few interior roads, airplanes are a necessary means of transportation. There are towns and lakes that cannot be reached by road. But my experience with the small planes was several days away. Our first adventure was on very conventional wheels.

We rode the hotel van to downtown Anchorage and wandered around. I had my first experience with halibut fish and chips for lunch. Then we met up with our bicycle tour.

A driver took us to our starting point. We were fitted to bikes and given helmets. Then we were off! For about ten miles over three hours, we learned about the Anchorage area, the plants, the sea life, and the history. 

​Of course Curious George went on the bike ride. 

I live in the land of mountain men and women. Cowboys and cowgirls. Hikers, mountain bikers, and trail runners. Colorado has an outdoorsy vibe. We get near constant sunshine, and fight about access to water.

​Alaska has the same independent feel, but reminded me more of what Colorado used to be like. And it was wilder. Vast wilderness covers most of the state. There is an abundance of water.

​Our first full day was exciting. We had nearly two more weeks to experience. 

My Alaska trip will provide background for book three in The Tapestry Tales YA science fiction series, written with co-author Merida Bass under the pen name Ann Belice, coming in 2026. Books one and two are available now in e-book and paperback. Audiobooks are currently in production!
Broken Strands: book two
​Frayed Dreams: book one