Why did we come to Skagway?

Looking north, up the runway


Looking south, from the harbor


Looking down the Lynn Canal (actually a fjord)

Copyright 2006, Lydia Hinshaw

SKAGWAY, AK -- While enduring three weeks of rain, we often asked ourselves what in the world we were thinking when we decided to come here.
Now that we've had four straight warm, dry and sunny days, our attitudes have improved. There's a wonderful view in every direction, though it's difficult to avoid powerline eyesores in photographs. We found some spots where there are no wires in the way, like the airport, the small-boat harbor and Yakutania Point, a park-area reached by hiking trail.
Saturday, I got our bicycles out of the car for the first time. Sunday, I rode the 3,292-foot, 14-mile climb that begins on the street in front of our cabin. This is something we'd been looking forward to doing since we got the jobs, but Prince Charming is still nursing a sore knee from his hiking mishap last weekend, so I was on my own.
It took a painful 2:16 to get "up the hill," as we tour-guides say. Coming down took 40 minutes, including the requisite stop at customs. The Canadian border is at the top of the hill, but U.S. Customs is eight miles down where the weather is much better. Even if you don't go all the way into Canada, you still have to stop at Customs before you can get back into Skagway.
We carry passports to work every day here, and we'll be taking them on bike rides too.