Tour de Pluie

In case you didn't know, it rains a lot in SE Alaska. Amazing amounts. And it's chilly. Portland is the friggen' Sahara compared to here. It's the end of June, and the azaleas and rhododendrons are just now blooming. I passed a lovely garden today and the peonies were just buds and the lilacs were barely blooming. It feels like Portland in March. Fifty degree rain all day.

I had planned on taking the next ferry to Haines from Juneau but there wasn't one today so instead, I caught the fast catamaran ferry to Sitka. The trip was great especially the careful navigation through the narrow Peril Strait.


Just to be different, it rained the whole trip though even like that it was quite pretty.


I spent the day in downtown Juneau yesterday. It reminds me a bit of Astoria. It was pretty touristy and crowded, though, since there were five cruise ships in town.


I hit the outdoor shop and bought some warmer fleece and a warmer hat. Just in time for July.

The bike has been having some shifting issues so I took it to the local bike shop to get adjusted. Things are much better and they didn't even charge me. Thanks Cycle Alaska!!


I've been camping and riding a lot in the rain and have definitely gotten better at it. The thing I've learned is that it doesn't matter if some of my gear gets wet. For example, my cooking gear is all aluminum, titanium, and plastic so damp doesn't hurt it. The only things that I really need to keep dry are my sleeping bag and pad and my camp clothes. My tent is waterproof so even if I pack it wet, all I have to do is wipe out the floor after I pitch it and it's fine. I have lots of warm wool and fleece, a great rain jacket, a Tilley rain hat, and a waterproof rain skirt for camp. All in all, I can stay reasonably warm and comfortable all day in the rain especially if there are a few breaks in the rain and I keep moving.
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Location:Sitka, Alaska