Troop 248 Alaskan Adventure Update: Day Seven

(Editor's note: The following is from Scoutmaster David Matzen, whose troop is on a 10-day excursion to Alaska)

Well, we are now coming to our last stop on this wonderful 10-day adventure.
 
This morning started with a few of us doing a jog around the beautiful city of Sitka, running through the Sitka Historical Park and all of its totem poles, the ravens and eagles calling through the trees. A nice morning of no rain and and, oh yes, a ray of sunshine even. The sun really does come out in Sitka.
 
The rest of the scouts and adults went out and did some last-minute shopping and checking out the museums, fish hatchery and other sights of this beautiful place.
 
At 10:30 a.m., Tim, from Sitka Tribal Tours, arrived to take us all to the ferry dock.
 
We got to the dock early had sometime to work on a puzzle, read, play with the iPods and relax.
 
The M/V Fairweather arrived - a fast-moving catamaran with only one passenger deck. Unlike the the boats in the Alaskan Marine Highway Fleet, this boat is a commuter-only boat, with no over night accommodations. We walked up to the deck and settled in for a 4 1/2-hour ride to Juneau, the last stop of our tour.
 
A very smooth ride thought the pristine waters, the scouts were able to get a tour of the bridge.
 
As we were 3 hours into the ride, we were thinking of something to eat for the boys (seems like they are always eating). We checked out the little snack bar.  The cashier told us to wait until 5 p.m., when all of the cooked food went on sale (hot dogs, clam chowder, and soup for a dollar). Talk about a score!!!!! Feed 18 people for under $45! We rode on the waters coming into Juneau seeing the grand Mendenhall Glacier in the distance.
 
We arrived in Juneau, and met Jeff from Juneau Limo, standing next to his white bus. Oh wait, it is only a bus on the INSIDE, this is a Limo Bus. Man did the boys have fun with this, a ride in a limo while traveling in Alaska. The bad part ..it was only a 10-minute ride to the University Of Alaska campus.
 
We met Dave from the Juneau Moose Lodge, who lead us to the school cafeteria for us to sleep for our stay.  The cafeteria looks over Auke Lake, a million-dollar view. Some of the boys decided to take a swim in the lake, (it took them 10 minutes to get into the "cool" waters). The rest of use went walking around the campus and finding a little convenience store to pick up some "Hot Pockets" for a late-evening snack.  
 
Bedtime is at 10:30 p.m.
 
Tomorrow is to downtown Juneau for some touring, shopping, a ride up the Mount Roberts's Tram and lunch up there. The afternoon is a rafting trip on Lake Mendenhall and a ride down the river.
 
An easy day today, but still with surprises and memories. All is good and well.