Day 30 (continued) - Rain, Rain Go Away!
So, as you probably noticed I was not able to get the pictures to work - this will wait until we are home now as it won't be long. After a whole month on the road, and the weather not cooperating we think we might just go home. We decided to go for lunch to discuss our next move and on a local's recommendation went to the Fat Mermaid. The local's reasoning was that you don't want to go to Mikes as he's too expensive. Well.... we can't imagine what those prices would have been as the less expensive place cost us $45 for a very light lunch! The clouds had swallowed up the mountain, you could not see past the immediate harbour, it was raining hard and the forecast was for eight more days of the same. We decided that Beautiful Valdez and Harbour Boat Rides and the like would have to stay on the Bucket List and we would head towards home, the first leg being Tok.
We drove back up the highway and once we got about 75 miles out the weather brightened a bit. We did take some pictures of the awesome waterfalls and amazing glacier as we drove out and despite the rain and heavy clouds we got some pretty good shots. We drove all the way along the Richardson Highway to Tok and camped at the same place we camped early in our trip - as the campground at Fast Eddies. It was a long day of driving but with two drivers its ok, because when one gets tired the other drives.
Day 31 - What a difference a day makes!
We went to bed thinking we would be in Whitehorse today, do our shopping and go home! However, the day dawned sunny and bright, we breakfasted at Fast Eddies and then headed toward the border to re-enter Canada. We had a very cheerful and fun border guard who likes our cartoon faces on the doors, thought our dog was great, like how we had the totals for what we spent handy and he waved us on, wished us safe travels and away we went. We drove on and reached the Kluane area. This is such a beautiful drive and especially so today with beautiful sunshine, blue skies and just enough clouds to make the sky interesting. We stopped so much to take pictures, breathe the air and take in the lovely sights that it became clear that we would not be reaching Whitehorse today! Nor did we feel such an urgency to get back anymore as we were having such a lovely day. Just past Destruction Bay their is a campground called Cottonwood and Earl knows the people through his Mileposting days. Five years ago we took a tour of their place and saw the new cabins they had built. We said one day we would like to stay in the small one called Bella Vista. We pulled in and the campground looked pretty busy and we thought that we would be lucky to get a little camping spot let alone a night in the beautiful cabin! However, surprise, surprise, there was room. We moved in, took a walk along the lake in the light of the setting sun and then settled down for the night in this little piece of heaven, with gorgeous mountains, mirror still lake and a beautiful sky and setting sun! It was heaven!
Day 32 - My Blue Heaven!
We woke the next morning to sunshine on still waters and majestic peaks! We did not want to go home. We were ahead of schedule as the original plan had been to not be home till next weekend, so Earl went to find out if we could stay another night - oh joy! We can! What a treat and great way to end our holiday. I pretty much sat and read all day! I sat in the chairs inside, then I sat on the chairs on the front porch, then I moved to the chairs on the back porch in the sun, ... when it got too hot, I sat in the chairs in the shade on the front porch. Earl went taking pictures, took naps, we played cards and basically were very lazy and relaxed. And Corona...he explored and then napped in the sun....he explored some more and then napped in the shade.... you get the picture! We went for a drive in the late afternoon in both directions and had some supper back at Destruction bay. Earl thought he might like to go flight-seeing here but the costs were quite prohibitive and we didn't have a handy coupon book for here that gave us 2 for the price of one! We got back to our little cabin and played cards and read some more took some more pictures and then went to bed feeling relaxed but a little sad knowing that tomorrow it really was time to head to Whitehorse and then home. I think I could stay a week and still not be ready to leave!
Day 33 - Take me Home Country Roads!
Check out time was 11:00 a.m. We lazed in bed this morning, then slowly roused ourselves and went and had long luxurious showers. Slowly packed up the truck and re-hitched the camper and at exactly 11:00 a.m. with such reluctance we locked the door and drove away from the cabin. I believe we will be back one day - maybe a week or a ten day stay next time!
We said our goodbyes to MaryAnne and Glen (owners) and got back on the highway pointed toward Whitehorse. We lunched at Haines Junction and a great place called the Village Bakery and then in increasing heat drove towards the city. We got to the stores at 3:00 p.m., did our shopping while poor Corona tried to find shade beneath the trailer. We finished at about 5:00 p.m. We got gas and then headed to our supper date at a new restaurant called the Wheelhouse. Earl knows the owner and it just opened in July. What an amazing place. We had a table on the patio in the shade with a view of the river. The menu is very tastefully laid out and oh my the food. It was so delicious with good portions and excellent service. We sure enjoyed our 'last supper' of the holidays and would recommend the Wheelhouse to anyone wanting a nice supper with a good atmosphere and excellent food.
It's 7:30 p.m., we had planned to stay in the city a night, but... we were not tired, it was hot and crowded and busy in the city so we headed off down the Alaska Highway towards home. We didn't know how far we'd get but about midnight we pulled into Rancheria and dry camped for the night. Then, boy, we must have been eager to get home because we were up and rolling again about 6:30 a.m. and breakfasted at the Rancheria Lodge. Off we went again, we saw a moose, a bear and some bison on the way and then stopped at the Hot Springs for Earl to soak his aching back. Then of course, it is just a few miles and we're home! Muncho Lake looked lovely but we didn't even stop to stare or take pictures. A few more miles down the road, Corona suddenly perked up, wagged his tail and stuck his head out the window - he must have smelt home too!
We have had a great holiday - we saw some amazing sights, had some great adventures, and met some pretty cool people - but there is no place like home! We were so glad to see Toad River and our little house! We love to travel and see new places but we also just love where we live. It's a pretty good life!
Thank you to everyone who took the time to read our blog! It was fun learning to do this and any feedback anyone has - good or bad (constructive criticism) it would be greatly appreciated as this is a learning process and I want to do a class blog with my students so please feel free to let me know what you think!
Friday 16 August 2013
Friday 9 August 2013
Day 29 and 30 - Glenn Highway to Valdez
Day 29 and 30 - Slip Sliding Away
We will not bore you with our morning - laundry, tidy-up, banking...yawn! Necessary evils even (or especially) on the road but just at the noon check-out all the laundry, tidying and chores were done so off we head to the Glenn Highway. The rain has stopped and dare we say we see sunshine and blue sky over there? Ooh, we sure hope so!
The Glenn Highway stretches from the Tok Cutoff to Anchorage, AK and winds its way through the Talkeetna and Chugach mountains with the promise of lots of beauty and amazing glaciers to see.
There are also many little side roads you can take but today we will be heading straight for Valdez without the detours. We must come back this way to reach Tok on our way home in a few days, so we may take some detours then. Even without the detours, this road is very scenic and we were blessed with some sunny skies.
One of the highlights was the Matanuska Glacier 101 miles from Anchorage. You get your first glimpses of this glacier as you are driving along the road but then there is a veiwpoint with information kiosks to pull in to so you can get a good look and take some photos. Quoting from the Milepost: "Matanuska Glacier heads in the Chugach Mountains and trends northwest 27 miles. Some 18,000 years ago, the glacier reach all the way to the Palmer area. The glacier's average width is 2 miles and at it's terminus it is 4 miles wide. The glacier has remained fairly stable the past 400 years." According to one of the information panels, a scientific study is being conduction on this glacier to find out what affects the speed of a glacier and the effects of climate change on the glaciers of Alaska.
At Glennallen, we stopped for supper and then headed down the Richardson Highway towards Valdez. As you turn at the Junction here, you get a marvelous view of Mount Drum which is part of the Wrangell Mountains. We got a few other glimpses as we rode along, but eventually the clouds obscured it. There was a lake called Mirror Lake that sometimes reflect these mountains but it wasn't so mirror-like for us. However, there was an amazing rainbow that we captured on film before it faded!
We made a lot of miles today, but petered out about 55 miles out of Valdez where we pulled off the road and dry camped for the night. The clouds look ominous over the pass and it will be better for us to traverse over the mountains with rested and alert eyes. Just as we were fading off to sleep, Corona took off barking and we were joined by some hunters who also were dry camping in our spot. Corona is a good guard dog though and it is good to have him along. We will rest easy knowing he is on duty!
This morning, although it has not started to rain here, those clouds still look ominous and we cannot see much of the surrounding mountains. We have woken up very early (so have the hunters) and they have warned us that there is a fresh kill nearby and to watch for bears and wolves and keep an eye on our little doggie! Good job we're not planning to stay too long.
We head out towards Valdez and did not get very far before the raindrops started to fall. Despite the sogginess, these mountains are just beautiful with amazing waterfalls, mountain meadows and impressive peaks. The pass was pretty fogged in and we are glad we waited till morning to complete the trek down to Valdez. Valdez' weather is very much like Seward was for us. The forecast is eight days of rain! We checked in at the info centre and got some intel on the tours and museums in the area and also a place with wi-fi out of the wet so I can complete our blog entries and try to get the photos to download.
So, here I am at their beautiful library typing away, listening to the wonderful sounds of happy children discovering books in the children's section just below me. I have written postcards, transferred pictures, written the blog and now will attempt to add pictures to our blog and send it off to everyone!
Earl is not feeling well, so went to find a spot to park the trailer so he can have a lie down. I am thinking, after a month on the road, we are getting road weary and it is a good thing that we start to wind our way home now.
Wish me luck as I try to make the pictures work. We have some great shots to share with you all so I hope it works!
We will not bore you with our morning - laundry, tidy-up, banking...yawn! Necessary evils even (or especially) on the road but just at the noon check-out all the laundry, tidying and chores were done so off we head to the Glenn Highway. The rain has stopped and dare we say we see sunshine and blue sky over there? Ooh, we sure hope so!
The Glenn Highway stretches from the Tok Cutoff to Anchorage, AK and winds its way through the Talkeetna and Chugach mountains with the promise of lots of beauty and amazing glaciers to see.
There are also many little side roads you can take but today we will be heading straight for Valdez without the detours. We must come back this way to reach Tok on our way home in a few days, so we may take some detours then. Even without the detours, this road is very scenic and we were blessed with some sunny skies.
One of the highlights was the Matanuska Glacier 101 miles from Anchorage. You get your first glimpses of this glacier as you are driving along the road but then there is a veiwpoint with information kiosks to pull in to so you can get a good look and take some photos. Quoting from the Milepost: "Matanuska Glacier heads in the Chugach Mountains and trends northwest 27 miles. Some 18,000 years ago, the glacier reach all the way to the Palmer area. The glacier's average width is 2 miles and at it's terminus it is 4 miles wide. The glacier has remained fairly stable the past 400 years." According to one of the information panels, a scientific study is being conduction on this glacier to find out what affects the speed of a glacier and the effects of climate change on the glaciers of Alaska.
At Glennallen, we stopped for supper and then headed down the Richardson Highway towards Valdez. As you turn at the Junction here, you get a marvelous view of Mount Drum which is part of the Wrangell Mountains. We got a few other glimpses as we rode along, but eventually the clouds obscured it. There was a lake called Mirror Lake that sometimes reflect these mountains but it wasn't so mirror-like for us. However, there was an amazing rainbow that we captured on film before it faded!
We made a lot of miles today, but petered out about 55 miles out of Valdez where we pulled off the road and dry camped for the night. The clouds look ominous over the pass and it will be better for us to traverse over the mountains with rested and alert eyes. Just as we were fading off to sleep, Corona took off barking and we were joined by some hunters who also were dry camping in our spot. Corona is a good guard dog though and it is good to have him along. We will rest easy knowing he is on duty!
This morning, although it has not started to rain here, those clouds still look ominous and we cannot see much of the surrounding mountains. We have woken up very early (so have the hunters) and they have warned us that there is a fresh kill nearby and to watch for bears and wolves and keep an eye on our little doggie! Good job we're not planning to stay too long.
We head out towards Valdez and did not get very far before the raindrops started to fall. Despite the sogginess, these mountains are just beautiful with amazing waterfalls, mountain meadows and impressive peaks. The pass was pretty fogged in and we are glad we waited till morning to complete the trek down to Valdez. Valdez' weather is very much like Seward was for us. The forecast is eight days of rain! We checked in at the info centre and got some intel on the tours and museums in the area and also a place with wi-fi out of the wet so I can complete our blog entries and try to get the photos to download.
So, here I am at their beautiful library typing away, listening to the wonderful sounds of happy children discovering books in the children's section just below me. I have written postcards, transferred pictures, written the blog and now will attempt to add pictures to our blog and send it off to everyone!
Earl is not feeling well, so went to find a spot to park the trailer so he can have a lie down. I am thinking, after a month on the road, we are getting road weary and it is a good thing that we start to wind our way home now.
Wish me luck as I try to make the pictures work. We have some great shots to share with you all so I hope it works!
Day 28 - Anchorage
Day 28 - Photographs and Memories!
We chose another i-hop for brunch again today as we are meeting another of Earl's friends from the Milepost. Our GPS on my phone took us to the 'nearest' one but it turns out it was not the nearest one but we managed to rendezvous with Gerrianne anyway. We had a good visit, with Earl and Gerryianne getting caught up with what's happening in their lives.
It is still raining so we asked Jerrianne what was the one must do thing in Anchorage that was not outdoors. She suggested the Museum of Anchorage at the Rasmussen Centre. They happen to have a display on right now called Portraits of Alaska and Earl had just purchased that book at a bookstore in Steward. So off we went, leaving our little guy behind in the parking lot that we will come back later to retrieve.
This museum is absolutely amazing! Their are two wings and four floors and it is absolutely jam-packed with art, history and culture. We started at the top, and those who know me will know why it took us hours to just do two exhibits! I read every single little piece of information because it was so interesting. These two exhibits were on two aspects of the history of flight in Alaska. They had tablets with information, posters, videos, displays.....I was in heaven. Then we started on the next floor and this display was on loan from the Smithsonian about the native peoples of Alaska and Russia - making a comparison and an ancestral link! Again, so much to look at and read. So we were now hours into looking, but Earl had an appointment to do a voice-over at the Milepost for a video for the website and we had not found the display we came to see! Earl went off to find it and reported back that it was on the second floor so I reluctantly tore myself aware from the Smithsonian presentation and went with Earl to see the Portraits of Alaska.
All I can say is wow! The pictures just took our breaths away, brought tears to our eyes and we were in awe at the talent of this photographer. We had briefly looked at the book Earl bought, but seeing these photos life-size was amazing. This photographer started taking a portrait a day, four years ago and has not missed a day since. They are not snapshots but posed portraitures of people in their own environment. The introductory information board said all the pictures were of Alaskans from all walks of life and put all Alaskans on the same level from the homeless man to the executive. It also shows Alaska and its people in "all the three seasons ~ pre-winter, winter, post-winter!" If you get a chance to see this exhibit or get the book, do so - it is a very impressive body of work and Earl especially found it very inspiring.
We would have liked to have seen all the displays but Earl has a job to do so we flagged down a taxi to get back to our rig in the Home Depot/IHOP parking lot. This was a treat. Our taxi driver was terrific, we chatted, sang together, and tried our voice-over voices. He has a great radio voice like Earl does and we sure had fun on that trip across town. A big shout-out to Clint Wood (not Eastwood), taxi drive extroadinaire who got us back to our rig (even though we couldn't remember the names of one of the streets!!!) and put smiles of our faces too!
While Earl recorded his voice doing the narration for the Milepost video, I tried to make friends with my computer! I did figure out how to save things to my external drive however we have 52,000 pictures and it's going to take awhile.
So, we finished up at Milepost Land and found our new quarters for the night - much cleaner and friendlier. We had a relaxed night with some games and guitar playing. It has cleared up a little so maybe the rain will stop for awhile.
Tomorrow, we are going to get some laundry done, then head back out of Anchorage, this time on the Glenn Highway towards Valdez. We were going to go to Whittier and take the Ferry but the cost is much more than we though ($450+) and the weather on the coast is very rainy so we opted for the inland route and our bedtime prayers include some for sunny skies.
We chose another i-hop for brunch again today as we are meeting another of Earl's friends from the Milepost. Our GPS on my phone took us to the 'nearest' one but it turns out it was not the nearest one but we managed to rendezvous with Gerrianne anyway. We had a good visit, with Earl and Gerryianne getting caught up with what's happening in their lives.
It is still raining so we asked Jerrianne what was the one must do thing in Anchorage that was not outdoors. She suggested the Museum of Anchorage at the Rasmussen Centre. They happen to have a display on right now called Portraits of Alaska and Earl had just purchased that book at a bookstore in Steward. So off we went, leaving our little guy behind in the parking lot that we will come back later to retrieve.
This museum is absolutely amazing! Their are two wings and four floors and it is absolutely jam-packed with art, history and culture. We started at the top, and those who know me will know why it took us hours to just do two exhibits! I read every single little piece of information because it was so interesting. These two exhibits were on two aspects of the history of flight in Alaska. They had tablets with information, posters, videos, displays.....I was in heaven. Then we started on the next floor and this display was on loan from the Smithsonian about the native peoples of Alaska and Russia - making a comparison and an ancestral link! Again, so much to look at and read. So we were now hours into looking, but Earl had an appointment to do a voice-over at the Milepost for a video for the website and we had not found the display we came to see! Earl went off to find it and reported back that it was on the second floor so I reluctantly tore myself aware from the Smithsonian presentation and went with Earl to see the Portraits of Alaska.
All I can say is wow! The pictures just took our breaths away, brought tears to our eyes and we were in awe at the talent of this photographer. We had briefly looked at the book Earl bought, but seeing these photos life-size was amazing. This photographer started taking a portrait a day, four years ago and has not missed a day since. They are not snapshots but posed portraitures of people in their own environment. The introductory information board said all the pictures were of Alaskans from all walks of life and put all Alaskans on the same level from the homeless man to the executive. It also shows Alaska and its people in "all the three seasons ~ pre-winter, winter, post-winter!" If you get a chance to see this exhibit or get the book, do so - it is a very impressive body of work and Earl especially found it very inspiring.
We would have liked to have seen all the displays but Earl has a job to do so we flagged down a taxi to get back to our rig in the Home Depot/IHOP parking lot. This was a treat. Our taxi driver was terrific, we chatted, sang together, and tried our voice-over voices. He has a great radio voice like Earl does and we sure had fun on that trip across town. A big shout-out to Clint Wood (not Eastwood), taxi drive extroadinaire who got us back to our rig (even though we couldn't remember the names of one of the streets!!!) and put smiles of our faces too!
While Earl recorded his voice doing the narration for the Milepost video, I tried to make friends with my computer! I did figure out how to save things to my external drive however we have 52,000 pictures and it's going to take awhile.
So, we finished up at Milepost Land and found our new quarters for the night - much cleaner and friendlier. We had a relaxed night with some games and guitar playing. It has cleared up a little so maybe the rain will stop for awhile.
Tomorrow, we are going to get some laundry done, then head back out of Anchorage, this time on the Glenn Highway towards Valdez. We were going to go to Whittier and take the Ferry but the cost is much more than we though ($450+) and the weather on the coast is very rainy so we opted for the inland route and our bedtime prayers include some for sunny skies.
Day 25 and 26 - Seward and back to Anchorage
Day 25 and 26 - "At the Zoo" (Another Simon and Garfunkel tune!?)
Ah! To wake up in a real bed! Now I'm not complaining about our little guy - it is very comfortable but... it's not a real bed in a room with running water and flush toilets nearby! This is a treat. We have not done the hotel thing much this trip, certainly not as much as last year. Perhaps because the weather has been so nice or the campgrounds have been great all the places we have been. Anyway, we are staying in a very old hotel here in Seward and the bed is a big brass bed and we do share a bathroom and shower with one other room but it was not an issue.
Seward is on the coast in a rain forest and therefore it is raining! They tell us they have had an unusually dry and hot summer but that has changed now! Oh, well. We made our way indoors to the Sealife centre. You could spend days in here just exploring the different displays, reading the information panels, talking to the staff about the animals. One of our favourite parts was the seabird exhibit. Oh, what fun to sit and watch the birds. I love puffins and the best ones here were the Tufted Puffins - the look a little punk and have lots of personality - especially one! All the other birds were floating serenely along the water, occasionally dipping under and popping back up. This one tufted Puffin, flapped his wings stirring up the water, bobbed under with great enthusiasm shaking his tail feathers and generally causing a disturbance. Then he would get out of the water, take a dive of the rocks, take an underwater swim, then start the whole process again. Earl called him Sheldon! My wonderful student Sheldon, is a little like that ~ all enthusiasm and activity!
Just past that exhibit is the Stellar Seal water tank. In this tank is a mommy Stellar seal and her 6 week old pup! So cute. Mom was content to sit on a rock in the rain but the baby was in the water, out of the water, on the rock, off the rock - it was a little hard to get a good shot because he did not sit still very long.
This centre takes in animals that have been orphaned, hurt, or harmed in some way and nurses them back to health in hopes of returning them to the wild. It is also a part of the university research on marine mammals. They are involved in some programs to save some endangered animals and birds too and are making progress with their efforts to breed in captivity but then release to the wild. One of their most successful programs in this regard is for Eider Ducks. The baby chicks are just adorable and their markings make them look like they are wearing spectacles! We spent hours in this place and probably could have spent longer if they stayed open!
In the evening, we walked along the main street and popped into the lovely little stores they have with all sorts of local artwork and souvenirs. We had a bit to eat at a microbrewery that was just yummy. We shared a Pear Gorganzola Salad and a place of crab legs. Oh, boy was it good. Earl tried another local beer and enjoyed it. This is something Earl likes to do on our travels is trying different kinds of ale, beer, stouts, porter and cider that the different areas produce. Sometimes they are very good and other times he says "well, I've tried that one but probably wouldn't again"!
We were really hoping to take a tour on the water but the weather is so socked in here that we have been advised that we should save our money. A bit disappointing, but the trips are fairly expensive so we'd rather not go if all we are going to see is fog and rain. We would probably see some wildlife anyway but the weather was still socked in the next day so we decided not to do the trip.
The next day was a lovely leisurely morning, with a Chai Latte, a new book, walking the dog in the rain. We finally checked out of our hotel and decided as the weather had not lifted we would head back to Anchorage. We had lunch at a place that was recommended to us called Ray's. We had just a marvelous table overlooking the harbour with good fish and great service. We took some harbour photos but it is still rather foggy and you cannot see much of the water or the mountains very much beyond the immediate docks.
We headed back up the Seward Highway and made a stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Centre. This is a 140-acre drive-through animal park dedicated to the rehabilitation of orphaned and injured animals similar to the Sealife centre only land animals. Some of the animals will be returned to the wild but others have sustained injuries that do not allow them to be returned to their natural habitat. There were two birds of prey there, an Eagle and an Owl that cannot fly anymore due to injuries to their wings and or flight feathers so they are permanent residents. There is a muskox heard, bison, elk, deer, and moose. There are also brown bears and black bears. We spent most of our time at the bear enclosure. The facility has just built a new viewing bridge so you can get a very good look at these animals. The black bears were a little stressed because there is construction near their facility right now but at 4:00 p.m. it was feeding time and the stress was forgotten when the Red Salmon were being tossed into the enclosure. A very cheeky seagull tried his best to snag some of that salmon but only succeeded in getting one little chunk. The brown bears were over by the water and one in particular put on a great show - swimming, posing, catching a fish! My camera shutter was going as fast as I could press it and we have some pretty good shots!
We did not do a lot more sightseeing as the weather was still a bit rainy but the view of Turnagain arm was pretty good but so windy! We camped for the night at the Municipal campground which at first glance looked good with wooded sights and advertised showers. However the bathrooms and showers were very dirty and did not invite you to linger at all. There was definitely some intersting characters down there and a whacky tobacky convention and Corona did not relax all night with the comings and goings and people tramping through our sight - poor dog so we have opted to go to a more expensive private RV park the next night.
Today will be a busy day as Earl as Milepost business to attend to and I will try to fight with my computer and get the pictures to work - here's hoping.
Ah! To wake up in a real bed! Now I'm not complaining about our little guy - it is very comfortable but... it's not a real bed in a room with running water and flush toilets nearby! This is a treat. We have not done the hotel thing much this trip, certainly not as much as last year. Perhaps because the weather has been so nice or the campgrounds have been great all the places we have been. Anyway, we are staying in a very old hotel here in Seward and the bed is a big brass bed and we do share a bathroom and shower with one other room but it was not an issue.
Seward is on the coast in a rain forest and therefore it is raining! They tell us they have had an unusually dry and hot summer but that has changed now! Oh, well. We made our way indoors to the Sealife centre. You could spend days in here just exploring the different displays, reading the information panels, talking to the staff about the animals. One of our favourite parts was the seabird exhibit. Oh, what fun to sit and watch the birds. I love puffins and the best ones here were the Tufted Puffins - the look a little punk and have lots of personality - especially one! All the other birds were floating serenely along the water, occasionally dipping under and popping back up. This one tufted Puffin, flapped his wings stirring up the water, bobbed under with great enthusiasm shaking his tail feathers and generally causing a disturbance. Then he would get out of the water, take a dive of the rocks, take an underwater swim, then start the whole process again. Earl called him Sheldon! My wonderful student Sheldon, is a little like that ~ all enthusiasm and activity!
Just past that exhibit is the Stellar Seal water tank. In this tank is a mommy Stellar seal and her 6 week old pup! So cute. Mom was content to sit on a rock in the rain but the baby was in the water, out of the water, on the rock, off the rock - it was a little hard to get a good shot because he did not sit still very long.
This centre takes in animals that have been orphaned, hurt, or harmed in some way and nurses them back to health in hopes of returning them to the wild. It is also a part of the university research on marine mammals. They are involved in some programs to save some endangered animals and birds too and are making progress with their efforts to breed in captivity but then release to the wild. One of their most successful programs in this regard is for Eider Ducks. The baby chicks are just adorable and their markings make them look like they are wearing spectacles! We spent hours in this place and probably could have spent longer if they stayed open!
In the evening, we walked along the main street and popped into the lovely little stores they have with all sorts of local artwork and souvenirs. We had a bit to eat at a microbrewery that was just yummy. We shared a Pear Gorganzola Salad and a place of crab legs. Oh, boy was it good. Earl tried another local beer and enjoyed it. This is something Earl likes to do on our travels is trying different kinds of ale, beer, stouts, porter and cider that the different areas produce. Sometimes they are very good and other times he says "well, I've tried that one but probably wouldn't again"!
We were really hoping to take a tour on the water but the weather is so socked in here that we have been advised that we should save our money. A bit disappointing, but the trips are fairly expensive so we'd rather not go if all we are going to see is fog and rain. We would probably see some wildlife anyway but the weather was still socked in the next day so we decided not to do the trip.
The next day was a lovely leisurely morning, with a Chai Latte, a new book, walking the dog in the rain. We finally checked out of our hotel and decided as the weather had not lifted we would head back to Anchorage. We had lunch at a place that was recommended to us called Ray's. We had just a marvelous table overlooking the harbour with good fish and great service. We took some harbour photos but it is still rather foggy and you cannot see much of the water or the mountains very much beyond the immediate docks.
We headed back up the Seward Highway and made a stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Centre. This is a 140-acre drive-through animal park dedicated to the rehabilitation of orphaned and injured animals similar to the Sealife centre only land animals. Some of the animals will be returned to the wild but others have sustained injuries that do not allow them to be returned to their natural habitat. There were two birds of prey there, an Eagle and an Owl that cannot fly anymore due to injuries to their wings and or flight feathers so they are permanent residents. There is a muskox heard, bison, elk, deer, and moose. There are also brown bears and black bears. We spent most of our time at the bear enclosure. The facility has just built a new viewing bridge so you can get a very good look at these animals. The black bears were a little stressed because there is construction near their facility right now but at 4:00 p.m. it was feeding time and the stress was forgotten when the Red Salmon were being tossed into the enclosure. A very cheeky seagull tried his best to snag some of that salmon but only succeeded in getting one little chunk. The brown bears were over by the water and one in particular put on a great show - swimming, posing, catching a fish! My camera shutter was going as fast as I could press it and we have some pretty good shots!
We did not do a lot more sightseeing as the weather was still a bit rainy but the view of Turnagain arm was pretty good but so windy! We camped for the night at the Municipal campground which at first glance looked good with wooded sights and advertised showers. However the bathrooms and showers were very dirty and did not invite you to linger at all. There was definitely some intersting characters down there and a whacky tobacky convention and Corona did not relax all night with the comings and goings and people tramping through our sight - poor dog so we have opted to go to a more expensive private RV park the next night.
Today will be a busy day as Earl as Milepost business to attend to and I will try to fight with my computer and get the pictures to work - here's hoping.
Tuesday 6 August 2013
Day 23 and 24 - Houston to the Kenai Peninsula
Day 23 and 24 - "Old Friends" (Simon and Garfunkel song)
We woke up in Houston, did our morning tea and got ready for the day. The couple parked beside us were from Ohio and were doing Alaska just like us and we had a great chat. They are taking 3 months to do what we are trying to do in 5 weeks so they are at a much more leisurely pace. We can see ourselves doing that when we retire whenever that will be but in the meantime we are enjoying the traveling we can do in the summertime.
Today we are heading further down the Parks Highway to Anchorage and then continuing on the Seward Highway and then the Sterling Highway to the Kenai Peninsula. Earl has an old friend, Marion who lives in Kenai City and we are going to visit her and take a look at the beautiful Kenai Peninsula as well.
Wasilla was just down the road a piece and just in time for brunch. We popped into the i-hop that was hopping - so busy but the service was good and so was the food and at very reasonable rates. Across the parking lot was a Teacher Store just like the Education Station in Edmonton so of course I had to go and look ... well, not just look ... I brought a few things for my classroom too including a new puppet named Max - I think the students will like him! We also found a shoe store there and both Earl and I got new shoes for the fall.
Then off we went, we have already been shopping so we don't need to stop in Anchorage so we just drove through and out the other end to join the Seward Highway. This highway drives along the very scenic Turnagain Arm. First we see Potter Marsh which is a refuge and nesting area for waterfowl and then we get a good look at the water. The beaches looked so inviting and I was just about to ask Earl if we could stop and have a walk along one of those stretches of sand when I read this in the Milepost ~ "WARNING! When the tide is out, the sand in Turnagain Arm may look inviting. DO NOT go out on it. Some of it is quicksand. You could become trapped in the mud and not be rescued before the tide comes in." And yes, it is written in red. Further on in the Milepost they talk about the tides here: "Turnagain Arm is know for having one of the world's remarkably high tides with a diurnal range of more than 33 feet. A bore tide is an abrupt rise of tidal water just after low tide, moving rapidly landward, formed by a flood tide surging into a constricted inlet...This foaming wall of water may reach a height of 6 feet and is very dangerous..." I decided not to go walking on the beach. We did stop at some of the look-outs and was it windy!
We stopped into the Indian Valley Meats and bought some Salmon Jerky and other treats then continued on as the weather slowly deteriorated into rain. We popped down the Wittier side road to stop into the visitor centre and find out about the ferry we want to take to Valdez later in the week but we missed them by 2 minutes and they were closed. You have to go through a tunnel to actually get to Wittier and there is a toll fee so we will wait until we are actually going to pay that. I am sure this is a very lovely area when the rain and fog lift but we did not take many pics today because the mountains were shrouded by mist.
Back onto the Seward Highway, we shortly came to the turnoff for the Kenai and turned off there to head for Kenai City. It is the last weekend of the fishing salmon season. Along the banks, even with all the rain, were lines and lines of fisherman! The road was busy and the drivers did not like to be stuck behind a trailer going the speed limit so it was a little hairy driving! The water of the Kenai River is that beautiful glacial green-blue and despite the rain it was a lovely drive. We arrived in Kenai and of course that visitor centre was closed too so we found a place to eat - Louis' Steak and Seafood - YUM! The manager, Dwayne, came to greet us, he was fun to watch, because he had a great sense of humour, seemed to have great rapport with both his staff and the customers, he was always busy - lending a hand to his staff and they were very busy. The food was amazing too!
Now we have to find a place to camp as the place we thought we would that is in the Milepost wanted $44 a night for dry camping and was just a gravel area outlined in chalk for your stall. It was right on the water but those sights were even more money! We drove around and found Californsky Beach road and camped along the beach with all the fisherman - well, first we got stuck in the sand and some of the fisherman pushed us out, then we found a more sturdy surfaced spot and went to sleep with the sound of seagulls and the sea!
The next morning was still a little rainy but felt quite fresh and warm. We headed back into Kenai city to find a church. We found breakfast at Louis' again with the same manager busy and good-natured and good food. We also found the Kenai Christian Church where we were welcomed like old friends, enjoyed an excellent service with great music (we knew all the hymns) and a very interesting service based on 1 John 2 with all sorts of references to other passages in both the Old and New Testaments to tie it all together and applied to our everyday lives - wow - not just a preacher but a great teacher! We then had some fellowship with some of the members especially Tommy Thompson who might be through Toad River next month so we invited him to visit us. As we were getting ready to leave, a lovely lady stopped us and asked if we were the people from Toad River. She home schools her children and they read the book "Lunch at Toad River". We had a great chat with the "Rankin Crew" as they call themselves, exchanged cards and we are going to get my students and their kids to be pen-pals via the email. We had just met them, but it felt like we were old friends already.
We then drove back through Kenai City to the outskirts and found Earl's old friend from his Milepost days. She has a beautiful place with an abundance of flowers. It was great to see the joy on the faces of Earl and Marion as they greeted each other. We had a great visit and then roamed her gorgeous garden taking photos in the rain of her absolutely riotous coloured flowers. My favourite were the lilies of all sorts of colours including ones so dark purple they look like chocolate. The rain added the sparkle of raindrops and both Earl and I got some great shots. Eventually, we had to say good-bye as we had reservations in Seward so with lots of hugs we made our leave and headed back towards the Seward Highway.
Although we have had pretty good weather so far, the liquid sunshine has caught up to us and our Seward trip was very soggy. We are staying in a very old hotel called the Van Gilder. It was built in 1916 but is very comfortable. We had made the choice to stay in a hotel for a couple of nights (we had a 2 nights for the price of one coupon) before we came but with all the rain we are sure glad we did. So after a walk in the rain and a good supper, we are tucked up for the night in a big old brass bed with rain falling outside. We will see if the Sun shines for us tomorrow but even if it doesn't I know we will find interesting things to do.
We woke up in Houston, did our morning tea and got ready for the day. The couple parked beside us were from Ohio and were doing Alaska just like us and we had a great chat. They are taking 3 months to do what we are trying to do in 5 weeks so they are at a much more leisurely pace. We can see ourselves doing that when we retire whenever that will be but in the meantime we are enjoying the traveling we can do in the summertime.
Today we are heading further down the Parks Highway to Anchorage and then continuing on the Seward Highway and then the Sterling Highway to the Kenai Peninsula. Earl has an old friend, Marion who lives in Kenai City and we are going to visit her and take a look at the beautiful Kenai Peninsula as well.
Wasilla was just down the road a piece and just in time for brunch. We popped into the i-hop that was hopping - so busy but the service was good and so was the food and at very reasonable rates. Across the parking lot was a Teacher Store just like the Education Station in Edmonton so of course I had to go and look ... well, not just look ... I brought a few things for my classroom too including a new puppet named Max - I think the students will like him! We also found a shoe store there and both Earl and I got new shoes for the fall.
Then off we went, we have already been shopping so we don't need to stop in Anchorage so we just drove through and out the other end to join the Seward Highway. This highway drives along the very scenic Turnagain Arm. First we see Potter Marsh which is a refuge and nesting area for waterfowl and then we get a good look at the water. The beaches looked so inviting and I was just about to ask Earl if we could stop and have a walk along one of those stretches of sand when I read this in the Milepost ~ "WARNING! When the tide is out, the sand in Turnagain Arm may look inviting. DO NOT go out on it. Some of it is quicksand. You could become trapped in the mud and not be rescued before the tide comes in." And yes, it is written in red. Further on in the Milepost they talk about the tides here: "Turnagain Arm is know for having one of the world's remarkably high tides with a diurnal range of more than 33 feet. A bore tide is an abrupt rise of tidal water just after low tide, moving rapidly landward, formed by a flood tide surging into a constricted inlet...This foaming wall of water may reach a height of 6 feet and is very dangerous..." I decided not to go walking on the beach. We did stop at some of the look-outs and was it windy!
We stopped into the Indian Valley Meats and bought some Salmon Jerky and other treats then continued on as the weather slowly deteriorated into rain. We popped down the Wittier side road to stop into the visitor centre and find out about the ferry we want to take to Valdez later in the week but we missed them by 2 minutes and they were closed. You have to go through a tunnel to actually get to Wittier and there is a toll fee so we will wait until we are actually going to pay that. I am sure this is a very lovely area when the rain and fog lift but we did not take many pics today because the mountains were shrouded by mist.
Back onto the Seward Highway, we shortly came to the turnoff for the Kenai and turned off there to head for Kenai City. It is the last weekend of the fishing salmon season. Along the banks, even with all the rain, were lines and lines of fisherman! The road was busy and the drivers did not like to be stuck behind a trailer going the speed limit so it was a little hairy driving! The water of the Kenai River is that beautiful glacial green-blue and despite the rain it was a lovely drive. We arrived in Kenai and of course that visitor centre was closed too so we found a place to eat - Louis' Steak and Seafood - YUM! The manager, Dwayne, came to greet us, he was fun to watch, because he had a great sense of humour, seemed to have great rapport with both his staff and the customers, he was always busy - lending a hand to his staff and they were very busy. The food was amazing too!
Now we have to find a place to camp as the place we thought we would that is in the Milepost wanted $44 a night for dry camping and was just a gravel area outlined in chalk for your stall. It was right on the water but those sights were even more money! We drove around and found Californsky Beach road and camped along the beach with all the fisherman - well, first we got stuck in the sand and some of the fisherman pushed us out, then we found a more sturdy surfaced spot and went to sleep with the sound of seagulls and the sea!
The next morning was still a little rainy but felt quite fresh and warm. We headed back into Kenai city to find a church. We found breakfast at Louis' again with the same manager busy and good-natured and good food. We also found the Kenai Christian Church where we were welcomed like old friends, enjoyed an excellent service with great music (we knew all the hymns) and a very interesting service based on 1 John 2 with all sorts of references to other passages in both the Old and New Testaments to tie it all together and applied to our everyday lives - wow - not just a preacher but a great teacher! We then had some fellowship with some of the members especially Tommy Thompson who might be through Toad River next month so we invited him to visit us. As we were getting ready to leave, a lovely lady stopped us and asked if we were the people from Toad River. She home schools her children and they read the book "Lunch at Toad River". We had a great chat with the "Rankin Crew" as they call themselves, exchanged cards and we are going to get my students and their kids to be pen-pals via the email. We had just met them, but it felt like we were old friends already.
We then drove back through Kenai City to the outskirts and found Earl's old friend from his Milepost days. She has a beautiful place with an abundance of flowers. It was great to see the joy on the faces of Earl and Marion as they greeted each other. We had a great visit and then roamed her gorgeous garden taking photos in the rain of her absolutely riotous coloured flowers. My favourite were the lilies of all sorts of colours including ones so dark purple they look like chocolate. The rain added the sparkle of raindrops and both Earl and I got some great shots. Eventually, we had to say good-bye as we had reservations in Seward so with lots of hugs we made our leave and headed back towards the Seward Highway.
Although we have had pretty good weather so far, the liquid sunshine has caught up to us and our Seward trip was very soggy. We are staying in a very old hotel called the Van Gilder. It was built in 1916 but is very comfortable. We had made the choice to stay in a hotel for a couple of nights (we had a 2 nights for the price of one coupon) before we came but with all the rain we are sure glad we did. So after a walk in the rain and a good supper, we are tucked up for the night in a big old brass bed with rain falling outside. We will see if the Sun shines for us tomorrow but even if it doesn't I know we will find interesting things to do.
Day 22 - Talkeetna to Houston (AK not TX - we did not take a wrong turn!)
Day 22 - Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Not just a great John Candy movie but a song by the Jackie Boyz and what our day entailed!
We started the morning off with a Flightseeing Tour to the Denali with K2 Aviation. What a treat! We have a Tour Saver book and got this flight 2 for the price of one. The day has dawned cloudy but with patches of blue so we are hopeful that we will get a glimpse of the big mountain! We had a surprise in that there were a lot of people there so we thought we would be in a plane with lots of other people but they kept calling parties some in 8's some in 4's but it got down to us and one other couple and we each got to go in a small plane by ourselves. Just us and the pilot flying above the beautiful Denali park with its moutain peaks and huge glaciers!
Now the clouds were a bit of a problem and we only got to see a glimpse of Denali (McKinley) just the east face lit up in the sun but the rest hidden by thick clouds. However, we are so glad we took this flight! It was just breathtaking up there. We flew over the Ruth Glacier which is 28 miles long and 1 and 1/2 to 2 miles wide with its lovely patches of blue that look like someone spilled a blue snow cone! The other mountains spires and faces were amazing and we took lots of pictures of this beautiful area. Our pilot, Mike, was terrific and tried so hard to find a break in the clouds so that we could see the high one but like I said we just got a glimpse of the east face and not the peak. You can't help but wonder at the majesty of God's world up there and hum to yourself "How Great Thou Art!"
So when we had our feet firmly planted on the ground again, we went to find some brunch because now we are booked on a 6 hours train ride and even Corona gets to come along. This train is the last whistle-stop train in the United States. People who live or hike along this area just flag the train down and it picks them up. The train goes to Hurricane Gulch and then turns around (well it has an engine on both ends so it gets to the gulch and then the other engine takes you back so you don't physically turn around. Our conductor was great and very funny. They told us we might have to muzzle Corona but the conductor never did make us do that. Corona, was not sure about train travel at first - he was quite happy when we were in the station - Earl and I were together and he settled down contentedly but when that train started moving and swaying back and forth he got quite nervous. But he is a good traveler and eventually just laid down and went to sleep. The views of the river and eventually of the mountains are great from the train and it was a mellow way to spend the afternoon ~ Earl even had a bit of a nap lulled to sleep by the rocking of the Great Alaska Railway. At Hurricane we disembarked and gave Corona a pee break and stretch. He was not sure about getting back on the train and balked at the steps but I gave him a boost and he was okay once he was on again!
We took a little drive around Talkeetna but it was a busy Friday afternoon with music in the park and there was no parking for our trailer and truck so we decided to head out of Talkeetna for supper and continue on our way toward Anchorage. We were not far out when we found a place called the Flying Squirrel to stop for Supper. Fed and happy after our day, we completed the trio - planes, trains and automobiles - by driving the Parks Highway to Houston where we stopped for the night at a little campground along the river.
Tucked into our Little Guy Trailer all cosy and warm its off to sleep ready for another busy day tomorrow when we head to the Kenai Peninsula!
Not just a great John Candy movie but a song by the Jackie Boyz and what our day entailed!
We started the morning off with a Flightseeing Tour to the Denali with K2 Aviation. What a treat! We have a Tour Saver book and got this flight 2 for the price of one. The day has dawned cloudy but with patches of blue so we are hopeful that we will get a glimpse of the big mountain! We had a surprise in that there were a lot of people there so we thought we would be in a plane with lots of other people but they kept calling parties some in 8's some in 4's but it got down to us and one other couple and we each got to go in a small plane by ourselves. Just us and the pilot flying above the beautiful Denali park with its moutain peaks and huge glaciers!
Now the clouds were a bit of a problem and we only got to see a glimpse of Denali (McKinley) just the east face lit up in the sun but the rest hidden by thick clouds. However, we are so glad we took this flight! It was just breathtaking up there. We flew over the Ruth Glacier which is 28 miles long and 1 and 1/2 to 2 miles wide with its lovely patches of blue that look like someone spilled a blue snow cone! The other mountains spires and faces were amazing and we took lots of pictures of this beautiful area. Our pilot, Mike, was terrific and tried so hard to find a break in the clouds so that we could see the high one but like I said we just got a glimpse of the east face and not the peak. You can't help but wonder at the majesty of God's world up there and hum to yourself "How Great Thou Art!"
So when we had our feet firmly planted on the ground again, we went to find some brunch because now we are booked on a 6 hours train ride and even Corona gets to come along. This train is the last whistle-stop train in the United States. People who live or hike along this area just flag the train down and it picks them up. The train goes to Hurricane Gulch and then turns around (well it has an engine on both ends so it gets to the gulch and then the other engine takes you back so you don't physically turn around. Our conductor was great and very funny. They told us we might have to muzzle Corona but the conductor never did make us do that. Corona, was not sure about train travel at first - he was quite happy when we were in the station - Earl and I were together and he settled down contentedly but when that train started moving and swaying back and forth he got quite nervous. But he is a good traveler and eventually just laid down and went to sleep. The views of the river and eventually of the mountains are great from the train and it was a mellow way to spend the afternoon ~ Earl even had a bit of a nap lulled to sleep by the rocking of the Great Alaska Railway. At Hurricane we disembarked and gave Corona a pee break and stretch. He was not sure about getting back on the train and balked at the steps but I gave him a boost and he was okay once he was on again!
We took a little drive around Talkeetna but it was a busy Friday afternoon with music in the park and there was no parking for our trailer and truck so we decided to head out of Talkeetna for supper and continue on our way toward Anchorage. We were not far out when we found a place called the Flying Squirrel to stop for Supper. Fed and happy after our day, we completed the trio - planes, trains and automobiles - by driving the Parks Highway to Houston where we stopped for the night at a little campground along the river.
Tucked into our Little Guy Trailer all cosy and warm its off to sleep ready for another busy day tomorrow when we head to the Kenai Peninsula!
Day 21 - Fairbanks to the Denali and Talkeetna
Day 21 -"Blue Skies, smiling at me, nothing but blue skies do I see!"
We are on the road again - this time heading down the Parks Highway from Fairbanks towards the Denali Park. This is a very picturesque drive with lots of hills and lovely rivers and lakes. We stopped for lunch at the Clear Sky Lodge where indeed the skies were clear, it was very hot and the food was great. It did not look like much from the outside but my shrimp salad was delicious.
We did not stop much along this area because our destination was The Denali Park and then Talkeetna for the night so we had some miles to make. Late in the afternoon, with the sun shining and just some great big puffy clouds we arrived at the park. We stopped and took the tourist shots of us in front of the Denali Park sign then dropped in to the visitor centre and gave the dog a stretch and paid our permit. You are only allowed to drive the first 15 miles of the park on your own and if you want to go further buy passage on a bus tour. The tours are long and we did not want to leave poor Corona for 8 hours so we opted to just drive the 15 miles, see if the big mountain was going to let us take a look at her and then press on to Talkeetna where we have a flight-seeing tour booked.
We were very blessed with great views of McKinley (Denali) Mountain. Now, I have always thought of this mountain as McKinley because that is how it is listed on maps, but here they call it by the native name "Denali". The Milepost gives some interesting information about this mountain ~ "First mention of 'the mountain' was in 1794 when English explorer Captain George Vancouver spotted 'a stupendous snow moutain' from Cook Inlet. Early Russian explorers and traders called the peak "Bolshaia Gora or big mountain. The Atahbaskan Indians of the region called it Denali ~ the high one!" The mountain is 20, 320 ft high and when it is not cloud obscured is quite an impressive sight.
After touring through the fifteen miles of the park and ogling the beautiful sights there, we continued on the Parks Highway towards Talkeetna. All along the way we had peek-a-boo looks at Denali and then just before we reached the Talkeetna spur road, late into the evening we were treated to beautiful sunset views of Denali and other mountains. We were frustrated at first because there really wasn't anywhere to get a good picture but then lo and behold! we came upon a scenic pullout and wow! did we get some good shots. Just spectacular!
We headed down the Talkeetna in almost darkness (not something we have experienced yet in Alaska). We nervous about where we would camp as there are not many campgrounds here and the big one was full, but we found a dry camping place for $10 that had a toilet just by the railroad depot. It is time to get some sleep because we have a flight booked for bright and early ~ sure hope the mountain is out tomorrow!
We are on the road again - this time heading down the Parks Highway from Fairbanks towards the Denali Park. This is a very picturesque drive with lots of hills and lovely rivers and lakes. We stopped for lunch at the Clear Sky Lodge where indeed the skies were clear, it was very hot and the food was great. It did not look like much from the outside but my shrimp salad was delicious.
We did not stop much along this area because our destination was The Denali Park and then Talkeetna for the night so we had some miles to make. Late in the afternoon, with the sun shining and just some great big puffy clouds we arrived at the park. We stopped and took the tourist shots of us in front of the Denali Park sign then dropped in to the visitor centre and gave the dog a stretch and paid our permit. You are only allowed to drive the first 15 miles of the park on your own and if you want to go further buy passage on a bus tour. The tours are long and we did not want to leave poor Corona for 8 hours so we opted to just drive the 15 miles, see if the big mountain was going to let us take a look at her and then press on to Talkeetna where we have a flight-seeing tour booked.
We were very blessed with great views of McKinley (Denali) Mountain. Now, I have always thought of this mountain as McKinley because that is how it is listed on maps, but here they call it by the native name "Denali". The Milepost gives some interesting information about this mountain ~ "First mention of 'the mountain' was in 1794 when English explorer Captain George Vancouver spotted 'a stupendous snow moutain' from Cook Inlet. Early Russian explorers and traders called the peak "Bolshaia Gora or big mountain. The Atahbaskan Indians of the region called it Denali ~ the high one!" The mountain is 20, 320 ft high and when it is not cloud obscured is quite an impressive sight.
After touring through the fifteen miles of the park and ogling the beautiful sights there, we continued on the Parks Highway towards Talkeetna. All along the way we had peek-a-boo looks at Denali and then just before we reached the Talkeetna spur road, late into the evening we were treated to beautiful sunset views of Denali and other mountains. We were frustrated at first because there really wasn't anywhere to get a good picture but then lo and behold! we came upon a scenic pullout and wow! did we get some good shots. Just spectacular!
We headed down the Talkeetna in almost darkness (not something we have experienced yet in Alaska). We nervous about where we would camp as there are not many campgrounds here and the big one was full, but we found a dry camping place for $10 that had a toilet just by the railroad depot. It is time to get some sleep because we have a flight booked for bright and early ~ sure hope the mountain is out tomorrow!
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