Thursday, August 28, Day 45

sundown in Glanallen AK

Terry with the boy in the hotel

We stopped in Chitina on our way yesterday.  We saw the sign so went in and asked for a hot beer.  This boy shook his head and said, "I knew that would happen, it is meant to be a joke!"  We laughed.  Then I said you should be in school.  He said he is home schooled and he was working now.  I said sure you are home schooled and you are working in the bar!!  He said NO this is a cafe and I do all the work my mother doesn't do which is pretty much everything!  It was a fun exchange.
We are back in Glenallen and and will head to Tok tomorrow.  A few rain drops but not really much so I think we are good.   We camped right by this water fall in a state park, it was perfect!  We could hear the water all night (when we were not sleeping)

Enough for now.  No FP to drink in the middle of the day!!!

Day 44, Wednesday--August 27

on our way to Valdez

I love waterfalls

our 45th national park--you could fit 6 Yellow Stone Parks in it--250 miles across

I am sitting looking up at a waterfall coming down the mountain this morning.  The temp is 39, a bit cool on the fingers.  We are camped just outside of Valdez.  This is the most beautiful place we have been in Alaska so far.  The mountains, the water, everything is just wonderful.
We will head north a bit today and maybe camp in Chitina which is only about 120 miles from here.  We are  now headed on our horseshoe loop over to Haines where we will spend our last week in Alaska.  I would say Haines is about 200 miles from Valdez as the crow flies but of course we are  not crows and must drive the 760 miles!
I am finding out that Alaska has the best fish and chips any where!!!
Last night Terry built a fire and I helped some (well if I must be honest I made the fire worse).  As both of us moved from space to space to get out of the smoke a guy came over and said "we have to get a fire going, not a smoke!"  About 15 minutes later we had a roaring FIRE with the help of several of his wood pieces!  We had a great conversation for about 30 minutes and then he reminded his wife that he was really hungry!
My FP is really good this morning but it is almost better for warming my hands on the cup than warming my inner self!
We stayed an extra day in Glenallen as the weather for Valdez was rain on Monday.  The weather forecast was correct as we arrived yesterday to mostly blue skies with puddles of water every where from the Monday rains. It is hard to realize that today is our 29th day in Alaska--wow.
I may give in now and sign off to go sit in the car with the heat and the the butt warmer on high!

Monday, August 25--Day 42

on Saturday evening our plane touched down at Nome

We spent Saturday in Kotzebue

Yes, it is the Artic Ocean

There are no roads into Kotzebue so it is hard to get things in and HARDER to get them out!!

We had a bite to eat here and a fisherman paid for our meal!  He said they had netted 300 salmon the day before

We are into rain again.  We drove in rain pretty much all day yesterday and today?????  We will take in the national park center in Copper Center today and then head down to Valdez.
As we traveled yesterday fall was in the air both with the temps and the colors in trees.  I would say that is a bit early! As I sit here this morning the temp is 48--a bit chilly for bare toes.
My FP is only half drunk but I am into someplace warm.

Day 39--Friday August 22

I looked at this from our Whittier camp site

a calf from a HUGE glacier

Terry is sitting in the back of the boat and watching the water and sun as we traveled 35 miles to fish

We are in Anchorage this morning.  We  have the day to do as we want (well I guess pretty much every day is that).  We paid a bit of extra money yesterday for the camp site as it is much nicer than others in the park. We have electric for the first time in about 2 weeks and also showers (free) so we are kind of ready for the next few days again!!!  The public showers in Homer were $6.50 for 30 minutes so I asked myself is a shower really worth that kind of money and for 30 minutes--who does a 30 minute shower???  So what happened--baby wipes until yesterday and it worked fine. Terry and I had a big hug and each thought the other was OK!
We fly to Kotzebue tomorrow for the day.  From there one can experience the Kubut Valley National Park.  Tom's wife Mary said she loves that town.  Really I think it is a town of a very few buildings.  I do not know if they have cars there but I do know you can not drive there from the east. Saturday we will head towards Copper Center and then Valdez.  We are thinking of maybe going to Kennicott but there is a 60 mile gravel road into it and they suggest a good spare tire.  That may tell it all!!   I am sure the town was formed when copper was discovered there.  A couple of years ago we did visit Kennicott copper mine in Salt Lake City with sister Joan and Ron.  I am sure it is the same company.
Our 33 lb of frozen fish will arrive in St. Paul today and Travis will put it in the freezer.  Now we need to spend some time there to eat it.
Traveling Alaska is a unique experience.  It will actually be sad to leave when we board the ferry in early September.  The mountains, the streams, the glacier water, the wildlife--it all is almost daily experiences and one can easily immerse themselves in it.
Henry is 11 today. Happy birthday Henry, we love you and miss you.  Eleven years ago today was an exciting day as he was the first grandchild.  By these pictures he has changed a bit.  In the first he is almost 6.  The current picture, not the best I know.

I think my FP is about finished.

Day 37, Wednesday, August 20

Terry's rod as she pulled in her good sized salmon

All in a days work--I mean fun

a baby sea otter going for a swim with mommy

yum

and yum again

We are sitting at McDonald's doing homework on our way out of Homer.  We have been here 7 nights and have had a great time.  The last 3 days have been warm (65) and sunny.  We are dried out but the car and camper are dirty.
We are headed towards Whittier, then up to Anchorage where we will take an air trip on the 23.
We had a chance to spend some time at Tom Collopy's home which was fun.
I was surprised that yesterday turned out so nice as we left our camp site at 6:15 and I did not have time to make up FP coffee. 
We are excited to be on the road again and see more things and meet more people. 
Our fishing yesterday was a blessed time.  The weather was the BEST it had been in at least 2 weeks.  On Monday many of the fishing boats had to turn around and come in because the wind was so strong but yesterday 35 miles out it was very calm and ideal for trolling for salmon.  I do notice some muscles today that I did not know about yesterday!!!
Enough for the time now.

sand hill cranes in Tom and Mary's yard

some of the view from Tom and Mary's home

Day 33, August 16, 2014

bike rack by a public rest room

Our home in Homer for 7 days

3 D mountains from our camp site

the Homer Spit from our camp site--it is 4 1/2 miles long

Tom was our St. Paul neighbor for 25+ years--nice exhibit in the oceans and islands building

We are celebrating, no rain since about 7:30 AM today!  We had a lazy day.  Wrote and mailed postcards, went on a drive along the bay, stopped at a couple of stores and no I am sitting in McDonald's with a senior coffee and the computer.  Terry is on a walk.  Yesterday John called so I pulled off the road and asked Terry if she wanted to go for a walk while we talked--after our talk it took about an hour to connect again!!
I promise, I am only having senior coffee here, I am not eating at McDonald's.
Excitement is building for Tuesday as we spend 12 hours on the water trying to catch fish.  I have hopes of halibut and salmon but time will tell.
Not a lot to say today as this is kind of a down time for us on this trip.  It is good to not stop, pitch camp, sleep, get up and pick up camp and leave.  We are hoping the rainy system that we have been in is finished and the sun will be the order of the day for some time.  We will see tomorrow as there is a 50% chance of rain and then Monday and Tuesday only 10%.
I may not get on the computer again until Wednesday or so.

I stopped at this bar and they wanted to recruit John N for their championship team!!!

Day 31 and more rain of course

Keeping an eye on things!

this cruise ship came in to Seward about 6 AM and left about 8 PM

Terry taking in the view from our camp site in Seward

a loud Raven perched near our camp, picture taken into our car rear view mirror

We arrived in Homer yesterday and settled into our camp site up high--away from the wind and rain of the water.  We will be here several days as we have a fishing charter scheduled for Tuesday, the 19th.
Of course we woke up to rain and that is now the usual and should I say the norm!  I almost hate to admit it but we are sitting in McDonald's!!!!  We did not want to give in but those $40-$60 meals will get to a person after a while and for sure they get to the wallet!  This is our first stop at a McDonald's this trip so perhaps we are doing OK.  Yesterday as we cruised down the hill towards downtown Homer our trip meter read 5000 miles--still a ways to go before we leave Alaska on the 8th of September.  We are having difficulties getting our Katmai National Park stamp here.  I was told you could do that in Homer but so far we have hit a cement wall but will keep on trying.  Of course it would be the best if we could take a plane ride into the park BUT those plane rides are spendy to say the least. 
Have not called my friend Tom but will try today.  He and his wife have been out of Homer for the last two weeks taking pictures.
Rain, rain and more rain. The last day in Seward it rained ALL day and my guess would be 2+ inches during the day and as we packed the next morning it was still raining.  On our way to Homer yesterday we say a cow moose along the road but did not stop to take any pictures.
Just to let friends and neighbors John and Diane know, we did put up the 10 X 10 canopy this morning so I could enjoy my FP!!!!!
Enough

Day 29,the beginning of week 5

yesterday morning-a rainbow promises the end of rain right!-it stopped for a couple of hours!!!

two elderly ladies said this cash registrar in their store is 99 years old, the crank was for pre-electric

flowers on the streets of Seward

We are still in Seward and the word of this trip and today is rainnnnnnnn.  Was planning to go on a tour but no we do not want to spend big money to look at the fog from a boat. 
We may pack up and drive to Homer today but the forecast--you guessed is rain too.
Happy 41st birthday to Aaron, have a great day Aaron and we love you.

Enough for today.

morning of day 26

No pictures as our service is so so so slow.  We drove from Anchorage to Seward yesterday.  We camped for 2 nights in Anchorage and almost got blown out as the wind coming off the water was STRONG. We found a lakeside "dry" camp site in Seward,that is dry as in no hookups!!  As I write I have a towel over the computer and my head to keep the wet off.  We have found out that August is the wet month in Alaska, the internet did not come up with that which means we have pretty much had some kind of rain almost every day.  So the weather is not ideal but the country is awsome.  There must be a million little creeks coming off the mountains and I do mean mountains.  Alaska has 17 of the highest 20 in North America. Clouds kept us from seeing Mckinley.
We will stay here one more night and then head to Homer.  I am beginning to think a fishing trip may not occur as the weather is wet and windy.  Here at the NP head quarters yesterday it said the waves would be 14 feet out on the water.  I think I would prefer to keep my feet on land if that is the case.
I will try to down load a picture or two but it may not happen.

Terry with Joan's great grand daughter Accalia,!

Maria, Jason and cutie!

We walked about a mile and a half to Exit glacier outside of Seward--no hot water so no shave!

The pictures came out! We had a nice time with Maria and family.  Jason made dinner for all.
No more words, just more FP.

A day of rest on day 23

We are taking a day to do not too much.  Got our book stamped at the center for Denali Park, number 43 of the 59 parks.  Will get 6 more before we leave Alaska in September.  We did spend some time strolling the town outside of the park and purchased zero!  Tomorrow we will had to Anchorage and spend 2 or 3 days there.  We plan to see Joan's granddaughter, Maria who is stationed there.
We are finding the temps to be a bit chilly here as they say this has been a cool summer.  This morning, as I made my FP it was 45 and as we drove back to our campsite it was 59 which is a high for the day I believe.  We are a bit weak on the camper side so as I sit outside blogging the generator is going and sending a bit of warmth into the camper!!
It is hard to believe that we are into our 4th week on the road.  It seems like we left St. Paul a few days ago.  Our little camper is serving us well and as usual we get many people stopping to peek and ask about it.
I find that this trip is full filling a dream.  For many years I have thought about Alaska and had this vision that maybe, just maybe I would be able to visit it some day.  Actually I felt that it would never come to be but here we are, Terry and I, and it is wonderful.  Terry has not camped very much and she has a body temp that is much lower than  mine but she is doing so well and is making the trip the most fun I have ever had.  Daily I am thankful for the blessings.
Like I mentioned, on a trip like this I tend to move too too fast so staying in one place for 2 or 3 days makes for a great time.  I think the rest of the trip will be more of the same.  Actually we have had NO rain today and that makes things nice.  I think we have experienced rain for all but a couple of days in the last two weeks. 
Will see if I have some pictures that I have not posted.

THE VASTNESS OF ALASKA IS AWSOME

Wildlife we saw on our 66 mile trek into Denali on day 22

Dall sheep from far off!!

It was a spectacular day of wildlife!!!------+