As most of you know, Steve and I will be on the road for the entire month of June. Our adventure will take us more than 1500 miles as we explore the highways and bi-ways - as well as some "off the beaten path" areas of this great state. Edited on October 17, 2004: I kept a Live Journal while we were on the road (so that friends and family could comment on our travel log). I have decided to transcribe those journal entries here in order to keep my Alaska Journal together in its entirety. I have not transcribed any of the comments - and some of the entries have been edited slightly. Because there are so many photos, I am posting all photos in thumbnail size. Clicking on them will open up a larger version. I'm also including the calendar - at left - to aid in navigation. By hovering your mouse over the date, you can see where we were on that particular day. Click on a date and you can go directly to the entry for that particular day. I hope you enjoy traveling with us and seeing beautiful Alaska through my eyes.

Wednesday, June 2 - Arriving in Kenny Lake/Chitina

Last night, the rain started just as we were crawling into bed. And it came hard. The wind whipped the small trees back and forth outside our camper. Fog rolled in over the bluffs surrounding us.

We both slept fitfully. The temperature in the camper fell to close to 40 degrees. Everytime Steve rolled onto his side, he pulled my half of the poncho liner off of me, which would cause a frigid draft to roll up my back. I fully understood the concept of body heat and tried to merge myself with him in order to stay warm.

At ten minutes to seven, we woke. Neither of us wanted to get out of bed. The thought of taking off clothes to put on street clothes was not appealing at all. We had no electricity, so horror of all horrors - NO COFFEE!!!! That was more painful than the cold.

Steve was the first brave one out of bed and I quickly moved into the warm spot he left behind. He put Sedona on her leash to take her out for her morning walk. We couldn't see anything out the windows because they were all fogged over. When he opened the door, I heard him exclaim "Oh No!". At first I thought a bear had gotten into our truck. And then he swung the front door open a little wider and I could see outside. Snow. At least an inch. It coated everything.

I have to admit that my husband is definitely on the ball when it comes to some packing items. He thinks of every scenario. Just before leaving the house, he told me to make sure I packed my silk long underwear, a couple of fleece jackets, my hat and my gloves. I listened. Thank goodness! My suitcase is full of warm weather clothing: short sleeve and sleeveless shirts, a couple of pair of capri pants, sandals. But I also packed a sweatsuit and lots of jeans - and of course my waterproof hiking boots. Those jeans, my long underwear, and my fleece jacket are what saved the day. It felt downright heavenly to pull on warm clothes this morning.

Unfortunately, Meier's lodge didn't open until 9am, so coffee was still out of the question for a good two hours. Caffeine is my one true addiction. I can barely start my day without it. (By the way - we could have boiled water, but had no instant coffee. We bring our coffee pot on these camping adventures. Second lesson learned.) We decided to hook up the camper and go looking for coffee. We were heading south anyway, so why dilly-dally?

I read in the Milepost about Sourdough Roadhouse. It was just down the road about 22 miles. Sourdough Roadhouse was established in 1903, destroyed by fire in 1992, and reopened in 1994. The place was empty - except for the proprietors. By the time we got there, they had the coffee going and *Mom* was warming up the griddle in the kitchen. It was cold in the cafe. The owners plugged in two space heaters and put them next to our table to warm us up! While we savored our first cup of coffee of the day, we could smell our breakfast cooking. Steve got sourdough pancakes, ham and hashbrowns. I got scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, and crisp bacon. I also got some homemade sourdough toast.

*Dad* then came into the cafe along with a younger woman who may have been family - or could have been the help. After serving us our meal, mom continued cooking for dad and the young lady. As we ate breakfast, we talked to them about the good fishing rivers, nice places to camp, fishing excursions, things to see and do, and our personal stories of what brought us to Alaska. It was like sharing breakfast with friends. Good food, good conversation, and a real comfortable atmosphere. I would recommend this place to anyone driving the Richardson Hwy in Alaska.

We told them our story about stopping in Paxson to camp and they informed us that Paxson has gone seriously downhill over the last four years. Apparently the family who owns the place have come into hard times and have let the place go. It's really a shame... They also gave us the name of a cruise 'boat' out of Valdez that does wonderful narration on their scenic cruises. (The LuLuBelle) We haven't booked our cruise/kayak adventure and don't think we'll have a problem getting a spot on any boat this time of year.

We also told them about the snowfall at Meier's which totally shocked them. They told every local who wandered in after us about the snowfall as if it was front page news. Maybe it was... And then dad shared the saddest news of all. Our heater runs off the battery - not electricity as we thought (we knew it didn't run on propane). Which means WE COULD HAVE HAD HEAT LAST NIGHT! Steve felt pretty darn dumb, let me tell you. But hey... we had some serious (life or death) cuddling.

We left Sourdough Roadhouse full and warm. We decided to continue south and make a stop in Copper Center. (It would have been our second night in Paxson, if things would have gone well there.) As soon as we climbed the first ridge, we saw a band of bright sky on the horizon and the magnificent Wrangell-St. Elias Mountains. These mountains are glaciated - which means they are always snow and ice covered. And they are impressive. When they appear on the horizon, it is as if giants are standing in front of you. Both Steve and I were struck silent with the incredible beauty of these peaks.

We arrived at Copper Center about an hour later. We chose to set up camp on the grounds of a salmon charter business. The sites have electricity (which means we have use of the microwave, television, computer - no internet though - and the camper's CD player). We don't have water service though - but with our full water tank, we're fine. Our campsite is right on the Klutina River - known for its red (sockeye) and king salmon. Once we set up, we took off exploring Historic Copper Center. Taken from various sources:

Copper Center was founded in 1896 as a government agricultural experiment station. It was the first white settlement in this area. The Trail of '98 from Valdez over the glaciers came down from the mountains. Three-hundred miners, destitute and lonely, spent the winter here. Many suffered with scurvy and died. A post office was established in 1901 and Copper Center became the principal settlement and supply center in the Nelchina-Susitna region.

Steve and I took a drive to explore the historic area. We visited the Copper Center Lodge/Roadhouse - which had its beginning as a hotel and was known as the Blix Roadhouse during the gold rush days of 1897-98. It was the first lodging place in the Copper River Valley. There is also a small museum on the premises which contains early Russian religious articles, Athabascan baskets, telegraph and mineral displays, gold mining memorabilia, and trapping articles from the early days. I was particularly thrilled with the photography case, which had old cameras on display. We then made our way to the Chapel on the Hill which was built in 1942 with the assistance of U.S. Army volunteers stationed in the area.

Copper Center Roadhouse

St. Elias Range

Klutina River

Mom news: I called my sister in law, Diane, this afternoon. Mom was in recovery. The surgeon was not able to do a chemo wash due to the nature of the surgery (he says this is normal with tumors of the kidney). He will be keeping her overnight to do the wash tomorrow. If all goes well, she will be released from the hospital tomorrow as well. According to my brother, the surgeon believes he got all of the tumor and the surgery/laser ablation was a success. Mom's not out of the woods yet - all surgeries require much healing time. Heartfelt thanks to all of you who have been keeping her in your prayers.

Thursday, June 3 - Kennicott

We woke to blue skies and sunshine - which thrilled us after yesterday morning's snowfall! The temperatures were still hovering in the high 50's, but with a light jacket we were fine. We ate a light breakfast (bagels and cream cheese), made a pot of coffee, and packed up the camper.

The views along the way were fantastic. There were lakes along the highway - some reflecting the snowcaps of the Wrangell's. Our drive was a short one and we were in no hurry, so we stopped quite a few times to stretch our legs, walk the dog, and take photos. We arrived in Kenny Lake only a little more than an hour later. Kenny Lake is 35 miles north of Chitina. Chitina is known for the Copper River and the abundance of salmon during the 'run'. It is also a good stopping point for people who want to explore McCarthy and Kennecott (both of which were on my "must see" list).

It is currently "dip net" season on the Copper River for red salmon and king salmon. Dip netting is just that - using huge nets to catch fish. No rods, no line, no bait. It is only allowed for Alaska residents. Fishwheels are also allowed on the Copper River. Fishwheels are used primarily for subsistence fishing (fishing to feed your family). Alaska residents are allowed to catch 300 salmon for personal consumption if they are on the subsistence program. Fishwheels have two baskets that rotate in and out of the river, catching salmon as they swim by. Steve and I stopped to watch some subsistence fishermen on the banks of the Copper River as we were preparing for our drive to McCarthy/Kennecott - 60 miles away on a washboard and rutted gravel road.

McCarthy/Kennecott:

McCarthy is 59.5 miles from Chitina. It is only reachable by gravel road. It is suggested that you carry two spare tires with you, as the road was laid over an old railroad and when the gravel is graded, railroad spikes and sharp rocks are known to come to the surface. The Kennecott area contains the huge complex of barn-red buildings that make up the Kennicott mill - which is now a historic landmark. The mill was built in 1907 by Kennecott Copper Corporation (an early day misspelling made the mining company Kennecott, while the glacier and river are Kennicott).

The Kennecott mines, including 70 miles of subterranean tunnels, are up on the ridge top and were connected to the mill by aerial trams. The mines operated from 1911 - 1938.

While copper mining inspired some of the early prospectors to travel to the land that is now Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, it was the discovery of gold that began the last great gold rush in Alaska. In 1913, thousands of stampeders made the treacherous journey through rugged country by whatever means possible to reach the newfound mining district.

McCarthy and Kennecott have no "modern" water sources. Local sources of drinking water are nearby creeks which are properly marked. (Steve and I drank from one of these streams and it was cold, fresh, and pure). It wasn't hard to imagine local residents coming to these streams and filling containers with water. I can't even imagine drinking water from a stream in the populated areas in the Lower 48. There is also a lack of flush toilets in these two towns. Vault toilets (outhouses) are the norm. I must admit, these public restrooms were the cleanest outhouses I have ever been in, in my life. There are no public garbage dumps in the area. Local residents and businesses have to haul out whatever they can't burn or compost.

Our drive was awesome and the views were unbelievable. I took many photos. In fact, I took over 300 photos during the course of the day! (Many were the same shot at varied settings - I'm learning to use the manual controls on my camera - so quite a few were 'trashed' after I was able to preview them and choose the best ones - thank goodness for digital!).

The drive home was just as exciting. The sun was in a different place in the sky and I was able to grab a few more great photos of the mountain range reflected in the many lakes we passed. And then... just as we reached the Kuskulana Bridge (238 feet above the river below, and enough to give me serious vertigo), we realized we had a flat tire. I don't know how long we drove on it. With the serious washboard and ruts of the McCarthy Road, we wouldn't have realized it anyway.

So we pulled off the road and changed the tire (we still had 15 miles to go and we were praying we wouldn't get another flat, because we had no more spare tires). While Steve changed the tire, I acted as look-out for bears. Not a real pleasant thing to do, but a necessary one. I don't know which was worse... scanning the ridgeline and valleys for bears or swatting at the kamikaze mosquitoes.

It was a 12-hour day. The 60 mile trip up the McCarthy Rd. to Kennecott took us more than 3.5 hours each way. We spent 3 hours exploring McCarthy and Kennecott (stopping to have a cold beer and some chips at the Kennicott Glacier Lodge). And once we made it through Chitina, we stopped at three lakes so Steve could toss in a line. He caught a rainbow trout - big enough to keep and cook - but threw it back. Hard to believe that the sun was still high in the sky at 10pm and he was enjoying fishing, while I was trying to shoot wildflowers and ducks.

Speaking of wildflowers... they are a riot of color now! They line the highways and take over the shoulders. Pink wild roses, purple lupines, wildflowers of blue, and lavender, and orange. I have to do some research in order to figure out what they are. The dandelions are prolific and actually look awesome as they dot the countryside interspersed with the colors of the other flowers. I would love to have a wildflower garden. Maybe next year.

We got home from our all-day adventure after 10:30pm. We were starving and had a late night sandwich before falling into bed around midnight - with the sun shining outside and the temperatures still in the 50's. What a great day!

Dipnetting and Fish Wheels	Fish Wheels	View from McCarthy Rd
Mountain and Lake	Railroad Bridge	Colorful Butterfly
Kennecott Mines	Old Homestead	Barn and Wagon
Me and Steve	The town of Chitina	Mountain Reflection

Friday, June 4 - Still Kenny Lake - Gone Fishing

Again, we woke to a gorgeous sunny day. I certainly hope this keeps up our entire trip! The temperature here at Kenny Lake reached 71 today. I saw on the news (we get one channel and it comes out of Anchorage), that Fairbanks reached temperatures near 80. I know everyone must be loving that.

Steve had to take care of the tire issue this morning. We couldn't continue our trip without a spare. I had a feeling it was going to be more extensive than just plugging a hole, and I was right. The tire we blew on McCarthy Rd yesterday had four long, razor sharp cuts in it. The most damaging one was in a sidewall. We figured it was probably caused by an errant railroad spike.

The closest tire repair shop (which also carries tires) is in Glennallen - 40 miles back up the road. Steve left here at 9am and didn't return until noon. I had a hunch he'd have to buy a new tire and I was partially right. He actually had to buy two. The other rear tire was also in poor shape with several deep cuts. He didn't want to risk a blowout while towing the camper. All of the tires are original to the truck (2003 - less than two years old), but it already has 29,000 miles on it. I know tires should last longer than that - but I don't think the tire company intends on a driver going off-road a lot. And Steve sure likes to do that. I'm going to write to Firestone anyway...

When he got back, I was just finishing up on downloading yesterday's photos and catching up on the day's commentary. We decided to take a drive back toward Chitina and check out Liberty Falls along the way. Steve wanted to go back to the two lakes he fished last night.

Liberty Falls is a beautiful little state park with five primitive campsites. Because the ground is so rocky, and full of tree roots, there are platforms raised off the ground with tent tie-downs built in. The falls is thundering, but the mosquitoes are horrendous. I can't even imagine spending the night in the location - regardless of the beauty.

We found another dirt road that led to an access point to the falls. There was a hiking path that climbed a mile up a steep hill to the top of the falls and a hidden lake. There was a warning sign reminding hikers to make noise as bears frequent the area. Steve and I climbed about a quarter-mile and it was strenuous. The mosquitoes were relentless, despite our 'eau de DEET' fragrance. We turned back.

We continued on to the two lakes Steve wanted to go back to. Steve caught a grayling today - but it was too small to keep. While he was busy enticing the fish, an older couple fishing nearby told me that there was a moose cow and twins on the far shore - hidden in the dense foliage. It was difficult to see them with the naked eye. Even the zoom on my camera didn't get me close enough for my liking. (I'm going to look at a 2x teleconverter when we reach Anchorage). The binoculars worked well though and I spent a good fifteen minutes watching the cow grazing along the water's edge while her babies napped a little way up on a brush-covered hillside.

She finally moved into the open and I took a few shots. I also shot in the direction of her babies. It's a blurry photo but you can see the two calves. One is laying lower in the photo - curled up almost like a dog would sleep, and the other is above him on the hill - almost totally obscured by branches. You can see his ears.

We have been told that we will see a lot of eagles when we get to Valdez tomorrow. (We were supposed to stay here in Kenny Lake, but we're heading to Valdez a day early instead). I really wish I could upload all of these photos and my journal entries, but this is truly "the boonies". We visited some places where there aren't even phone lines. Radio phone is used. And a woman we talked to yesterday in McCarthy said that she's finally going to invest in Internet service - 4000.00 installation and 80.00/month fee, since all that is available is satellite service. The waitress at Kennecott yesterday told us that they used to have dial-up Internet at the hotel and it would take all day for email to download because of constant interruptions of service.

Liberty Falls

Moose Twins

Cow moose in lake

MOM NEWS: My mom is home. The doctor did a chemo wash on her yesterday and wants to do another one in two weeks (via a catheter in her urethra). Once she's through with that, she doesn't have to go back for three months. She's still in a lot of pain...

Saturday, June 5 - Valdez

I am happy to report that the campground we are staying at here in Valdez actually has Internet capabilities. Not only that - but cable modem! HOORAY! For a measly $2.00, I can hook into the office modem line and take care of updating this journal.

Steve has tentative plans to go fishing with a fellow camper (ironically, he's retired Army and lives in North Pole - what a small world!). Bill has a 30' cruiser and he's planning to go out for some salmon tomorrow. I don't know how Steve did it, but he talked the guy into letting him tag along. Steve will be sharing in the gas - a very pricey commodity even at the southern terminus of the Alaska Pipeline. I declined an invitation to go along. I'm going to take the truck and drive to Historic Valdez a little ways up the road, and then wander into some gift shops. I saw a coffee shop on the small boat marina called "Latte Dah" (how witty!) and I'm going to get myself a nice cup of white chocolate mocha and watch the fishing boats go in and out of the harbor.

When we got up this morning, it was sunny but cool in Kenny Lake. They were calling for storms in Valdez, which didn't make me too happy, but I had heard that Valdez doesn't get too many good weather days anyway because it is located in a mountainous 'bowl' which seems to suck down the wet and foggy stuff. Steve and I hooked up the camper and headed to the little campground cafe for some breakfast. The cook was a young man who came to Kenny Lake from Anchorage to work. His contract will pay him a small amount of money as salary and give him free room and board. According to him, the summer job market here in Alaska (especially in the tourism sector) is booming. Lots of young people move up here or from other locations in the state for a chance at summer work and some great fun. He gets one day a week off and spends it rafting and fishing - with free use of the campground owner's boat.

The drive from Kenny Lake to Valdez was only 81 miles - a leisurely morning. We had originally scheduled to stay in Kenny Lake tonight as well, but were glad to find out that the campground here in Valdez could take us a day early - so here we are!

What an awesome drive! Our first stop was Worthington Glacier. You can literally walk right up to Worthington Glacier. Despite the gray and overcast morning, there was no mistaking the blue ice. It was absolutely amazing and the temperature by the glacier was a good 15 degrees colder than the temperature by the parking area. I spent some time talking to the park ranger about good places to photograph eagles and she told me that they are frequently seen in Valdez. She wasn't kidding...

The Thompson Pass area (along the way) has gorgeous snow-capped mountains, glaciers, and hundreds of waterfalls draining the melting snow to the many streams and rivers. But the most awe-inspiring falls was Bridal Veil Falls. Luckily there was a large area to pull over and view the falls, as well as a steep path which led up beside it. We weren't feeling very adventurous.

Once we arrived in Valdez and set up the camper, we took a drive through town. Valdez isn't a large city by any means. Population is about 4100. We stopped at the small vessel marina and walked along the floating docks admiring the yachts and commenting on the various vessel names. The backdrop is amazing - tall mountains streaked in snow on one side and lush green hills with several waterfalls on the other. There are restaurants and gift shops. Outfitters will take you sailing, or fishing, or kayaking, or cruising, or flight seeing... We stopped into several outfitters and inquired about cruise/kayak adventures. The original place we were going to book with informed us that because the cruise ship was full of cruise-only passengers, we would have to be water-taxied out to the area we'd be kayaking in. That wouldn't be a problem except for the fact that the cost of the cruise/kayak adventure includes narration and sight- seeing as well as whale-watching. The water taxi does none of that. And it's the same price.

So we ended up booking a 9 hour cruise only - with another company. We're going on Monday morning. The boat holds 100 people and goes out to all three glaciers, past sea lion colonies, past rookeries, and goes right up to Meares Glacier. It will go within 6 miles of Columbia Glacier, but no closer. Columbia Glacier has been calving a lot lately (big chunks of ice falling off) and it's too dangerous to get close to. According to the staff, we'll see eagles and puffins and several types of whales as well. A seafood luncheon is served (a vegetarian meal for us non-seafood eaters), and soup and snack sandwiches are served just before returning at the end of the day. We also talked to several kayak outfitters and may decide to just rent kayaks on our own and explore Prince William Sound. We'll play it by ear...

When we got back to the campground, we went up to the office to ask the proprietor where I could find eagles to photograph. He brought us into the office and showed me his telescope which was focused in on a huge eagle's nest in the far off trees. Two tiny heads were in the nest and mama was busy shoving food down their throats. It was amazing! I wanted to take photos. We had seen several soaring overhead on our way to Valdez, but I wanted to see one closer than that - and be able to take photos.

He went into the back room and came out with a hunk of raw chicken in his hand. "Watch this", he said. And with that he stood out in front of the office waving the chicken around in the air and turning in circles. Well of course the darn gulls showed up - and so did a few ravens. I thought he was nuts until he tossed the chicken onto the ground and told me to get up on the porch and be ready. After what seemed like forever, Steve turned to me and pointed into the distance. And there he was... soaring high in the sky... a beautiful bald eagle.

He got above the parking lot and began to circle. First large circles at about 300 feet. He gradually got lower until he was down to about 50 feet above us. Then he began practicing his swooping maneuver. He would dive down towards the meat and then abort at the last minute. Almost as if he was a pilot flying an airplane and he was gauging the speed and angle he'd have to come in at.

And then he was on it. In the blink of an eye, he'd come to just above the ground, pushing his talons in front of him as he seemed to slide into the meat. And just as fast, he was gone - high in the sky once again, with his prize held tightly in his talons.

And I caught it with my camera! I am so glad I have been experimenting with manual settings or I'm sure all of my photos would have been a blurry mess. All of them were shot with my zoom lens too, which is even more amazing since I have been known to shake when I use the zoom. I also have 'panning' almost perfected. I had to literally follow this majestic creature with my lens, twirling and raising and lowering my lens to keep up with him. The entire episode was over within 15 minutes. And I shot 71 photos.

I realized I had tears in my eyes when it was all over. I can't even begin to explain what an intensely emotional experience it was for me to witness this. When I began downloading my photos and saw what I had managed to capture, I again got emotional. Steve put his arms around me and said, "I am so happy for you. I know how much you wanted this." We were visited by four more eagles later on this evening - without any enticement! What a beautiful world we live in...

Worthington Glacier	On the way to Valdez	Bridal Veil Falls
Valdez Marina	Soaring Eagle	Eagle and Flags
Eagle against mountain	Eagle with Attitude	Majestic
Coming in for Chicken		Eagle Against Mountain

Sunday, June 6 - Valdez and more Eagles!

Another sunny day. So far, even though a few mornings have started off overcast, the days have turned out to be sunny and warm. We are thrilled at the fact that Mother Nature is cooperating with us (we'll forgive her the oversight on our snowy morning).

After a quick breakfast of cereal and coffee, Steve went off fishing with his new buddy. I tidied up the camper and took off myself about 9am. My first stop was to try and find Historic Valdez. It was marked on the Valdez map, but I couldn't find any additional information about it anywhere. I later discovered that the entire town (what was left of it after the 1964 earthquake) was relocated to its present location and there are no 'left-over' buildings or structures in the old location any longer. All that stands where Valdez once was located is a memorial plaque which tells a short history of Valdez and another plaque which lists the names of those who died in the earthquake.

I drove down some side roads looking for interesting things to shoot (I found a few) and then came back into town and drove through the neighborhood. Valdez is not large by any means. The neighborhood is compact. The closer you get to the harbor, the more businesses you find. In the other direction, it looks like any residential neighborhood. I did notice the number of churches here - one for just about every religious sector. Because it was Sunday, I watched the neighbors arrive at one of the local Christian churches by car, on bicycle, or on foot. Many were carrying covered dishes. I don't know if today was a special celebration, or if these Sunday potlucks are the norm.

I made my way to the Valdez Museum - hoping it was open on Sunday. I was in luck! The museum looks small from the outside, and I was prepared to be in and out in 30 minutes. In addition to the regular exhibits, the museum is currently holding a quilt raffle. Many hand-made quilts are on display, and some are up for sale. They were hanging on special swinging quilt racks and mounted to the walls where there was space. They were absolutely beautiful and reminded me of my home state of Pennsylvania and my many visits to Amish country - where quilts were a sought after, and pricey, souvenir. In PA, the specialty quilts included hex sign designs, and horse and buggies; here, they include fishing and hunting, mountains and cabins. Different places, different stories.

What I thought was only going to be a 30-minute visit, lasted more than an hour. For being a small museum, there was much to read, to look at, and to learn about. The museum exhibits depict lifestyles and workplaces from 1898 to present. Interpretive exhibits explain the impact of the Gold Rush, the 1964 earthquake, the construction of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline and the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill cleanup. There is a restored 1907 Ahrens steam fire engine, and models of antique aircraft.

But what intrigued me the most were the photographs and journal entries from Stephen Bourke (or maybe his name was Daniel? I'll have to do more research on this.) - a 'stampeder' from Manhattan, NY who came to Alaska to get rich during the gold rush. Not only are his photographs an accurate reminder of the conditions these people had to survive (avalanches, extreme cold, crossing glaciers on foot, and lots of hard work), but his journal was an excellent look into one man's adventure. He writes about those he is traveling with and those he meets along the way. He writes about pitching a canvas tent and setting up camp for a few days and having to brace the walls with logs because the snow is falling so heavily that their tents soon are barely visible and the walls are in danger of collapse. He writes about being wet almost constantly. And bathing once a month - if he was lucky. I felt like I knew this man personally, by the time I read these little bits and pieces about him. I signed a list for people interesting in purchasing his journal once it is fully transcribed and published. The museum is just one more gem here in Valdez.

I made my way back to the harbor to do some people watching. Alaska is a huge state, but it's a small world too. I watched a 20-something young man unloading ropes and buoys from the back of a pickup. His dog happily ran circles around him - obviously excited about going out on the boat. I was snapping a few photos of the harbor, when he asked me where I was from. I always respond to that question "Fairbanks - now". I don't know why. There are times I feel like I have always lived in Alaska. And other times I feel like I just arrived yesterday.

"Have you eaten at Sam's Sourdough Restaurant?" he asked.

I couldn't help but grin. "Yes, I've eaten there many times."

"They have good filling breakfasts there. When I'm home I eat there all the time." he continued.

And then we talked about the fact that he was here in Valdez working for the summer. Another temporarily transplanted 'Interior' person, taking advantage of the tourist and fishing action. I never realized how many people relocate during the summer months. I have found that in the Lower 48, if a young person can't find a job in the 'neighborhood', he just chalks it up to bad luck or a bad job market. The people up here (and quite a few adventurous souls from the Lower 48 - using www.coolworks.com as a reference) move hundreds of miles for a summer job. This young man was working hard dragging ropes and buoys back and forth to boats. But I'm sure when his day off rolls around, he's out doing something he loves and it's all worth it in the long run. The pay isn't the greatest, but with free room and board offered up in the mix, you can't go wrong.

I watched fisherman come in with their catch. Huge fish-cleaning stations are all over the marina area. The tables face each other and have spray hose attachments for washing fish guts and pieces down a long chute which goes out into the harbor and lands in a contained area. The chute was lined with mew gulls, just waiting for a good morsel of food. They picked the fish out of the chute before it even got a chance to fall into the water. It was obvious to me who the experienced fishermen were and who the tourists were. The experienced guys had a fish cleaned and de-boned in only a few minutes. The tourists got some helping hands and pointers from these experts. I enjoyed watching a few fathers teach their young sons how to clean a fish.

I wandered into a few gift shops check out their wares, but didn't buy anything. Several times I've found myself contemplating one of the many wildflower books they carry. I have been photographing so many wild growing things and would like to know what I'm taking pictures of. Yesterday, while Steve and I hiked a nature trail (Dock Point Loop), I saw some huge (and very stinky) plants with a large yellow stalk coming out of the center. I later found out it was skunk cabbage - a plant the bears really enjoy. Now when I see it in the wild, I find myself looking over my shoulder a lot more frequently. I may go pick up the pocket reference guide and carry it in my camera backpack.

A short time after I got back to the camper and ate lunch, Steve got home. He was 'fish-less'. Bill was having a problem with his boat again, so they didn't go out too far. Steve got some nibbles, but that's it. He was feeling pretty depressed about it... The salmon aren't due to run until next week sometime. I can only hope that his luck changes in Seward and on the Peninsula.

We took a drive to the old Valdez Cemetery. I knew it was located on a gravel road and didn't want to drive out there by myself this morning. The cemetery was in use from the late 1890's through 1916. It wasn't the only cemetery in use back then. Records indicate that there were 60 people buried in this cemetery, but after decades of neglect only the remains of 34 gravesites could be located. That is why the signs marking the graves are all uniform in style. They were made after the gravesites were found again.

What surprised me was coming upon the gravesite of Geneva Braxton - located outside the cemetery boundaries. Geneva was a mulatto woman. Were the old beliefs regarding 'non-whites' as second class citizens apparent even here in Alaska? Were the Native Alaskans looked at that way by the white man too? Just next to Geneva's grave, is the burial site for an 18-month old Native baby girl - also outside the cemetery boundaries.

Steve and I then headed off to take a short hike (3 miles) on the Shoup Bay Trail. This trail leads through a grove of alders and then across some marshland and to the beach. The wildflowers were abundant, but so were the nettles. You wouldn't want to have a run in with those plants, that's for sure! Once we reached the open area of the marsh, the views were fabulous. The glaciers surrounding the Port of Valdez seemed to encircle us - making us feel like we were in our own little world. Of course, there'd be no swimming here. Not unless you like 40 degree water...

It was a wonderful and tiring day. Tomorrow we're off for our cruise adventure.

Old Valdez	Old Valdez Cemetery	Port of Valdez
Mineral Creek	Peter Toth Carving	Valdez Marina

Monday, June 7 - Cruisin'

Steve and I were up early this morning. We decided we'd go out for breakfast before the cruise. We needed to be at the dock by 9:30 to check in. There's a Best Western next to the Cruise Office that had a restaurant overlooking the marina. The view was fabulous as always. The breakfast left a lot to be desired - everything was extremely greasy.

Due to the low number of passengers booked for this trip, we went out in a smaller boat. This worried me a bit, as I wasn't sure if I'd have a problem with sea sickness. The cruise was 9 hours long. It wasn't cheap - with our military discount (10% off), it cost us $225.00. But it was so worth it!

We were assigned tables inside (we'd be served a hot lunch and a smaller snack later on in the day). We had table mates - a retired couple from upstate New York. I never did get their names, but we chatted almost the entire time we were out. They were on a two-month cross country and Alaska trip towing a pop-up camper. They left New York on May 8th. They were heading to Fairbanks the 18-21 of the month, and I gave them some input about the things they should see and do when they get there.

As we cruised toward "The Narrows" which connects the Port of Valdez to Prince William Sound, we saw eagles and mew gulls soaring overhead. The captain was a fantastic narrator and told us stories about Valdez and the Pipeline terminus, the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and more. We soon left the Port of Valdez behind and entered Prince William Sound. Immediately we came upon a family of sea otters relaxing as they floated on their backs and watched us pass by. These creatures were seen throughout the day. Once in a while, we came across a mama carrying a baby on her belly.

As we continued cruising through the Valdez Arm out into open water, the captain spotted orcas (a.k.a. killer whales) swimming about 50 yards from the boat. Orcas are the largest member of the dolphin family, reaching 30 ft. and weighing 4-6 tons. They are toothed whales and feed on fish or other mammals. Orcas can reach speeds of 30 mph. They stay in family groups or pods, and show a highly evolved social structure. This group appeared to be a pod of about five - and one fin was significantly smaller than the rest. These beautiful creatures arched in and out of the water as if playing. All of us stood on the deck that wrapped the boat, cameras clicking away. I was thrilled to catch a tail fin as an orca took a dive.

Making our way around a buoy before heading toward Columbia Bay, we were rewarded with the sight of Steller sea lions resting on the buoy. We got to within 15 feet of them which only made them grunt and bark at us - warning us to stay away. It is amazing that such huge creatures can actually jump up on a buoy. They seemed to enjoy their perch.

The fog hung low all around us, giving the surroundings a surreal look. We turned into Columbia Bay to see if we could get a glimpse of the glacier, but the fog was too thick. Despite the fog, we knew when we began approaching the glacier, as the water became dotted with first small pieces of ice and then larger chunks. When we got even closer, we were surrounded by huge icebergs - pieces which had calved off of the glacier. I immediately thought of the movie Titanic. I couldn't even imagine hitting something so large. Nor could I imagine being tossed into such cold water. The color of the glacial ice was a gorgeous blue. The blueness is because the physical properties of the water molecule absorbs all of the colors in the spectrum except for blue, which is transmitted. The trip through the fog was breathtakingly beautiful and eerie at the same time. We weren't able to see Columbia Glacier, so we turned and headed back into the Sound to continue on our way to Meares Glacier. We were hopeful that the fog would be lifted at Meares. We would be able to cruise to within a 1/4 mile of it and I hoped we'd actually get to see some calving (breaking off of the ice).

The captain then announced that he was seeing activity in front of the boat and it appeared to be Dall's porpoise romping in the water. They seem to enjoy racing watercraft, and criss-crossed in front of the boat - their fins breaking the water as they jumped and dove. They swam with us for about a half mile and then headed back to where we met up with them. What an experience!

As we turned into Unakwik Inlet on our way to Meares Glacier, we were met with the most gorgeous colors of turquoise water and rich reddish orange rocks and green foliage. It was low tide - the only time that these colors are visible. The captain slowed the boat and we were served a hot lunch of seafood fettuccine alfredo (plain fettuccine for us non-seafood eaters), green and yellow beans, and a roll with butter. Throughout the cruise, we had unlimited tea, coffee and lemonade to drink.

In addition to viewing beautiful colors and impressive waterfalls created by snowmelt on the mountains, we watched many different species of birds flit around. We saw Pigeon Guillemot with their bright red webbed feet, Surf Scoters, Loons, Cormorants, Arctic Terns, Horned Puffins, and an abundance of Bald Eagles.

And then we reached Meares Glacier. We approached to within a quarter mile and the captain shut down the engines so we could hear the glacier talk. It was impressive. It was hard to get an idea of the grandness without seeing something close to it to compare it to. Estimates put the glacier wall at 200-250' tall. It constantly made sounds. Everything from small popping sounds to loud cannon - like explosions. As soon as we arrived there, there was three small calving episodes where chunks of the glacier broke off the front and fell into the sea. There was a delay in sound reaching our ears after the break-off, so that many times- by the time we heard the sound, the ice chunks were already in the water.

One of the deck hands told us a story of being out there with passengers and a huge chunk sliding off the face of the glacier. The swell caused by the force was large enough that when the boat was at the bottom of the swell, they couldn't even see the glacier anymore. Another story was told about a family who had taken their boat out to the glacier and camped on the shoreline nearby. During the middle of the night, a huge chunk fell from the glacier and caused a small tidal wave which flooded their tents. I personally don't know how anyone could sleep with all the noise the glacier makes. It was positively awesome, and made me feel small and insignificant.

On the way back out of Unakwik Inlet, we passed harbor seals lounging on the ice floes. They were a bit skittish so we couldn't get too close to them or they'd jump off the floe and dive beneath the water. I managed to grab a shot of a mother and her pup. She seemed to wave at us as we passed her.

Our last stop before heading back to Valdez was past Point Bull Head. Bull Head is mostly a bachelor colony of Steller sea lions. There seemed to be hundreds of sea lions sunning on the rocky outcroppings. And when you have that many sea lions in one place, you're bound to have some boisterous bellowing. And that there was.

We arrived back in port at 7pm - exhausted, but pleased. It was a wondrous day of wildlife sightings and beautiful scenery. What an awesome experience!

Sea Otters	Puffins	Singing Stellar Seals
Whale Tail	Orca Splash	Dall Porpoise
Harbor Seal	Calving Glacier	Icebergs
Meares Glacier		Sea Lion Colony

Tuesday, June 8 - Still in Valdez

It was cloudy and cool most of the day. It's currently nearly 5pm and the sun has just now broken through the clouds. It's been a lazy day for us. Our only plan was to hike the Mineral Creek Trail to the old miner's cabin - about 5 miles on a gravel road and then an additional 3 miles roundtrip on foot. We got directions from one of the deckhands on the cruise yesterday, but she also told us that last week when she went walking up there, she found that an avalanche had blocked the road. If the snow was still there, we'd have to go on foot for an additional 5 miles. With the weatherman calling for rain, we decided against the long hike and hoped the snow had melted sufficiently from the avalanche to allow us to get the truck through.

We didn't have such luck. There it was - just as the girl had told us. A good 4 feet of snow piled deep in the center of the road and extending up and down the valley in both directions. The force of the avalanche had taken out numerous small trees and they were broken and twisted in the debris. Above the avalanche was a gorgeous waterfall high on the mountain side. It became a raging stream at the level we were at and also crossed the road. Even if the snow were melted, we'd have a hard time getting through the water with the truck.

So we doubled back and stopped instead at Mineral Creek so Steve could toss in a line. The water is moving quickly and he's convinced there are no fish in the creek. Poor guy... I wish he'd catch something. He spends the evening hours perusing the Sport Fishing Regulations booklet and planning his next adventure - but since arriving here in Valdez, not even a nibble.

We decided to go out for lunch and ate at "Mike's Palace Ristorante" near the harbor. I went for a typical burger, but Steve opted for the beer-battered halibut. He even managed to get me to try some and I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised by the mild taste - not at all fishy like salmon and trout. Maybe he'll make a seafood eater out of me after all.

Tomorrow will be another lazy day for us. We've done so much running around the past week; we've decided to spend tomorrow doing laundry and preparing for the next leg of our trip. We're heading back toward Glennallen and then cutting across the state on the Glenn Highway to Anchorage. We'll be spending two nights on the Glenn Highway - only a fifteen minute walk from the Matanuska Glacier. There's supposed to be good trout and grayling fishing there. *Fingers crossed for Steve*

I'm not sure if there's Internet access there or not, so after I post this you might not hear from me again until we reach Anchorage on Saturday.

Wednesday, June 9 - Blustery Day in Valdez

Today was a blustery, windy and chilly day. Steve and I only left the camper to do laundry up at the campground office and to watch the eagle feeding at 7pm. We decided today would be a lazy day. I'm glad we packed a lot of DVD's and video tapes; we spent the entire day watching movies.

I don't think the temperature has gotten above the mid 50's today. And it's overcast. I've got a chill I can't shake. Actually, I'm not feeling up to par. I think a good night's sleep will cure me of these blahs. I am exhausted.

I took some more photos at the feeding. The proprietor (Chuck) told us that after next week, the eagles probably won't be around much. As soon as the salmon start to run, there's just too much food to be found in the water.

The photo posted is a juvenile eagle. What a difference in coloring! The mottled colors of the head and wings are almost sloppy looking - as if the bird is just waiting to molt off the strange color configuration of its baby feathers. I'm sure the colors are meant to keep the babies camouflaged in the nest, but it is apparent - after watching the feedings - that the juveniles take a good harassing from their mature counterparts. They seem fearful too. Only one displayed the courage to actually swoop down and pick up a chicken leg from the parking lot the other day. The other times, he/she soared overhead, feinting a dive - but aborting at the last moment. And today - when he finally grabbed the leg, he was chased by three other birds and ended up dropping the chicken, which was picked up by a mature eagle. I can only imagine the taunting and teasing that went on in eagle-talk as he was chased!

We'll be leaving here tomorrow morning. Chuck asked me if I'd be back in July. He wanted to hire my services as a photographer to get some photos of the campground for their website. July is the busiest month of the year and of course he wants his photos to depict a full campground. I thanked him for considering me, but explained that I wouldn't be coming back this way next month. I may just keep in touch with him over the next few months... I'd love to come back next year. If Steve and the guys go "somewhere" next summer, perhaps I'll have the courage to tow the camper down here with my friends Marcella and Susan. I know they would love it here.

Well, I'm hitting the sack and it's not even 9pm. We plan on stopping a lot tomorrow to take advantage of some fishing. We've only got 195 miles ahead of us - a relatively easy day.

Thursday, June 10 - Milepost 109 Glenn Highway

We left Valdez this morning and began our trip back up the Richardson Hwy toward Glennallen, where we picked up the Glenn Hwy and made our way toward Anchorage.

The marsh near the bay was fog-shrouded when we awoke. And it was another chilly day. Mid 50's, we estimate. We got the camper packed up and before hooking it to the truck, we decided to go out and eat breakfast. We chose The Totem Inn (a recommendation from Nikki) and quite enjoyed our meal, the service and the atmosphere.

A short time later, we were on our way - after first making a stop at the office to say our goodbyes to the staff. The rain drizzle started almost immediately and started and stopped throughout our 195 mile journey, until we arrived at our next stop midway along the Glenn Highway.

We set up in record time, and took Sedona for a walk along the path behind the RV park. A 15-minute walk through the woods took us to a scenic overlook where we could get a small glimpse of the Matanuska Glacier nearby. (Photo above)

It is now only 6:30pm and we're exhausted. The drive really seemed to take its toll on us. That and the miserable and cold weather. When we arrived, the thermostat was reading only 48 degrees.

Tomorrow, we're planning to drive back the way we came for a few miles. There are several hiking trails, and rivers and streams to cast a line in. I only hope the sun is shining tomorrow...

P.S. No Internet connection here, so you'll be reading several entries when we get to Anchorage and have Internet access again.

Friday, June 11 - Still in the middle of Glenn Highway

It began raining last night and was still raining this morning when we got up. And the temperature dropped to 40 at one point during the day. It's now hovering in the high 40's - not a warm day, that's for sure. It's still drizzling off and on outside, but the sky is finally showing some blue at least. I really hope the blue skies stay with us when we get to Anchorage tomorrow.

I'm still carrying around a chill I can't seem to shake. No matter how many layers I dress in, I feel cold. I'm sure most of it has to do with the grayness of the day.

After eating a quick breakfast in the camper, we took a drive to Matanuska Glacier. There is a lot of road construction on the Glenn Highway just west of our campground and continuing all the way to the glacier, so it was really slow going. The rain was still falling fairly hard, so after finding a few vantage points to take some photos, we turned around and headed back the other way. We drove about 27 miles east in search of fishing lakes and streams. We found several, but Steve didn't have any luck. The water is rushing entirely too fast. When we got back to the campground, we asked the owner if there were any good walking/hiking trails nearby and he directed us to a semi-dry stream bed near the Sheep Mountain Airfield. We put on our raingear and headed out. I didn't care that it was raining, I just wanted (needed) to get out of the camper. It was a beautiful walk/hike despite the rain. The stream bed is covered in the most colorful rocks. It's called Gypsum Creek and is near what used to be a gypsum mine in the mountains. There was running water - runoff from the mountain snow - but not enough to keep us from walking along the rocky stream bed.

We saw animal prints - moose and bear. It was a little frightening to be surrounded by bushes and foliage as we hiked in the rain, but we made a lot of noise to alert any wild animals who might be in the brush. I took a few photos, but had to keep my camera buried under my rain jacket to keep it dry. I wish we could have gone further, but the rain came down harder and I started to feel cold.

We came back to the camper, popped in a movie, and I cooked up a batch of spinach and cheese tortellini with alfredo sauce. Boy, did that hit the spot!

Tomorrow it's off to Anchorage. I'm looking forward to this portion of our trip. Not only our visit to Anchorage, but our visit to the Kenai. I am also looking forward to visiting Seward...

Steve and I hiking I am called Cone "Head"	Matanuska Glacier	Scenic Overlook near Camp
Dall Sheep Composite	Hiking Path	Heading to Anchorage

Saturday, June 12 - Anchorage!

Steve is taking a shower (I hope he's shaving too, he's looking a bit rough around the edges). As soon as he gets back to the camper, I'll be calling Nikki. She mentioned a home-cooked spaghetti dinner and it's sounding pretty darn good to me! (If you're reading this, I'd love to have dinner in at your place instead of going out.)

When we awoke this morning, we had sunshine! You don't know how happy that made both of us. The dreary days were really starting to get to us - but mostly me. I'd rather have the dark days of winter over rainy days.

It was camper cleaning day. All of the rain resulted in mud. And mud resulted in tracked in dirt. So out came the Swiffer and the broom and we gave the camper a once-over before packing up for our trip to Anchorage.

We decided to have breakfast at the campground lodge (Grand View). An excellent choice; breakfast was delicious. Soon we were on our way to Anchorage. We had excellent scenery the entire way. (See photo above)

We got into Anchorage and lots of memories came back from visit last August. We admired the mountainous surroundings. There aren't merely bluffs here - like Fairbanks - there are mountains. Nice...

And there's traffic. Traffic we can do without. We've been pretty accustomed to having the roads to ourselves during the first 12 days of our trip. That won't be happening here. But Anchorage does have a lot to offer, that Fairbanks doesn't. And I'm not talking about shopping opportunities. I'm not a "Mall Rat". But having a bigger selection of restaurants is nice. Having some more culture is nice. The bike trails are great. The hiking opportunities are great. Being close to the Peninsula is great. But it doesn't really matter where Steve and I are - we find the hidden gems and are happy anywhere. And since we don't mind driving, trips to Anchorage don't have to be once a year excursions. We'll be back to see more, I'm sure.

We got set up at the campground by 2:30 and Steve took off to shower and shave some of the mess off of his face. (He'll grow a lot of it back over the next 18 days) I tried calling Nikki twice, but got her answering machine both times. I already knew (from reading her LJ) that she was planning a spaghetti dinner at her house rather than all of us going out to dinner. Steve and I were all for a home-cooked meal!

While Steve and I were watching some television, we heard a voice outside the camper ask "Steve?". It was Nikki. She drove here to get us and lead us back to her house. Once we got to her house (they have some nice Army housing on Richardson!), we met her husband John and her son and daughter. I could smell the spaghetti sauce simmering and it smelled yummy. We sat and chatted for awhile and then Billie (heartmart) and her husband came over to join us. We enjoyed a delicious salad, spaghetti dinner and garlic bread... and some wonderful conversation. It was terrific meeting Billie in person. She looks as wonderful in real life as she does in her photo. A big smile and a happy face! It was only natural to give her a hug hello. Her husband Jim entertained us with some funny stories (you'll have to ask her about the bear attack *grin*). It was a wonderful visit! It's amazing how many people can come into your life through the Internet. I am glad we got to meet and I hope we can get together again sometime when I'm in Anchorage, or if her travels ever bring her to Fairbanks.

Tomorrow, we're meeting Nikki and John and possibly another couple to do some hiking/exploring on Flat Top Mountain. We're planning to meet about 1pm. Before then, Steve and I are going to search down the Best Buy and see if they have 2x teleconverters for my camera. If they do, I'll be able to get closer photos of the wildlife on the mountains - like the Dall sheep I photographed last night from our campground on the Glenn Highway. They were pretty high up on the mountain, but I want to get CLOSER! Is that asking too much? :-)

I'm sure to have photos tomorrow after our hike. Nikki said it will be cold up there. I'll be sure to dig out my gloves and hat... I hope we see some wildlife.

Sunday, June 13 - Hiking in Anchorage

What an absolutely beautiful day in Anchorage today! The sun was shining for most of the day and temperatures reached nearly 70 degrees. Steve and I were looking forward to going hiking with the Trobaugh family on Flat Top Mountain. We agreed to meet around 1pm, after the Trobaugh family got home from church and grabbed a bite to eat.

Steve and I were up and out of the camper by 9am in search of some fishing along Ship Creek. The salmon are running and there are a lot of areas you aren't permitted to fish in. We didn't need to ask anyone where the accessible places were. All we had to do was follow the many anglers driving through town with fishing rods hanging out of their pickup trucks.

We parked the truck and took a short walk down to the creek, to watch a group of fishermen under one of the overpasses. Now I know why they call it 'combat fishing'. These guys couldn't have stood any closer to one another. How they managed to keep their lines untangled is beyond me. Steve decided against it. (If you at one of he guys on the right of the photo, you can see him pulling in a fish!)

When the Trobaughs arrived, we followed them to the hiking trails. What a gorgeous setting! What a breathtaking walk! The path was pretty steep in places and frequent stops were definitely needed. But those stops allowed Nikki and I to shoot some photos. The view of downtown Anchorage and the high-rises from that vantage point was absolutely amazing. Turnagain Arm and the mountains were visible, but dark clouds hovered off on the distance. We only hoped that the rain held off until we were through hiking. (It waited until we were in the final stretch back to the vehicles - perfect timing.)

Steve and I had such a great time. The entire family (to include Milo, their German Shepherd) is a joy to spend time with. The guys never ran out of anything to talk about, and neither did Nikki and I. As Steve and I were heading back to the truck, we both agreed that the day was a fantastic one. Thank you so much, Nikki and John! I look forward to showing you Fairbanks when you come to visit in July.

Flat Top Mountain	Hiking Path Steps	Downtown Anchorage
Trobaugh Family: John M., Milo, John, Jessica, Nikki	Miniature Dogwood Wildflowers	Combat Fishing in Ship Creek

Monday, June 14 - Traveling to Seward

After getting most of the camper ready for departure, Steve and I went out to breakfast at a local diner (Pancake House on Muldoon Rd). The food was great, the prices were great, and the waitstaff was very friendly. It is so nice to find places like this when we travel!

We were soon on the way to Seward. The sun was shining, the temperatures were in the high 50's (which felt fantastic!), and there was no sign of rain. As soon as we left Anchorage behind, it was easy to remember the last time we traveled the Seward Hwy (last August). Turnagain Arm looked fantastic with the tall mountains rising out of the mud flats and the sea birds soaring everywhere. Traffic was relatively light which made things even better.

We stopped a few times to allow the faster traffic to pass us. We both admired the many streams and lakes we passed along the way. We decided we'd make a stop in Hope (Thanks, Nikki!) to take a breather and explore a bit. This picturesque community was a frenzy of gold rush activity in 1896. Miners named their mining camp on Resurrection Creek Hope City, after 17-year-old prospector Percy Hope. But the gold rush here was short-lived. By 1899, many of the miners had joined the gold rush to the Klondike. Hope City persisted, and it is now the best preserved gold rush community in south-central Alaska. Today, Hope is a quiet oasis popular with hikers, campers, bicyclists, fishermen, bird watchers, and recreational gold miners.

We checked into the campground (Seward Military Resort) and let me tell you... this place is wonderful! There is a nightly BBQ, and a game room with a big screen TV. There's a small bar with dart boards. There are discounted tickets for just about any adventure you'd want to take with your family. There are tent sites and RV sites. There are hotel rooms and cabins. I can't tell you how impressed I am by this set-up... especially after staying in privately owned (don't get me wrong - most were nice!) campgrounds. It really made Steve and I feel great to see that the military has places like this for active duty and retired members to stay. Right next door is the Air Force Resort. Granted, the RV sites are close together... but the discounts offered on the fishing trips (Steve saved more than 50% booking through the resort) make it well worth it. And the fact that the campsites and hotel/cabin rates are based on rank is another plus. We're paying the top fee, but my many friends who are married to less senior soldiers can get away and enjoy themselves for a very reasonable price. What a fantastic opportunity! I hope they take advantage of it.

Steve and I decided to stay in tonight. It's a bit chilly outside and the rain has been intermittent. I cooked a nice hot meal and we're relaxing with a few drinks and watching movies. Steve had booked a fishing trip for Wednesday, but after talking to two of his soldiers (who are working down here until October), he changed his fishing trip to tomorrow due to weather concerns. Steve's on an all-day trip and will be leaving here at 6am and won't return until 7pm. So it looks like I'll be out exploring on my own tomorrow. There are a few walking trails that go to some historic buildings. I'm thinking of taking Sedona and going off exploring...

So far, I haven't found any place to get online. If I don't find something in town, you'll be reading these entries at a later date.

Mud Flats along Turnagain Arm	Turnagain Arm and Alaska R.R.	Garden Gate in Hope
Summit Lake Cabin	Water Lily	Arriving in Seward

Tuesday, June 15 - Exploring Seward

Steve left at 5:30am this morning for his fishing trip. (For all my military friends - if you come to the Seward Resort, book your fishing trip through the Lodge. You'll save lots of money. It's less than half the price of the private fishing excursions in town. You can also get discounted tickets for sightseeing/wildlife excursions.)

I decided to go exploring while he was gone. Seward is only about half the size of Valdez and is a long and narrow city facing Resurrection Bay. The population of Seward is about 3000. Downtown Seward (which you can explore on foot), has a frontier-town atmosphere with some homes and buildings dating back to the early 1900's.

Historically, Seward was an important transportation hub for Alaska's mining, exploration, fishing and trapping industries. The Iditarod trail was surveyed in 1910 as a mail route between Seward and Nome. It was used until 1924, when it was replaced by the airplane. The 938-mile long trail is best known for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race that is run each March between Anchorage and Nome, but the trail starts in Seward. In 1923, the railway connecting Seward to Fairbanks was completed. Resurrection Bay, a year-round ice-free harbor, made Seward an important cargo and fishing port as well as a strategic military post during WWII.

The morning began cold and blustery, with temperatures in the upper 40's. I thought I was dressed warmly enough to do some walking through town, but soon decided I needed to come back to the camper and put on another layer. I did stop and walk a short distance along the beach (a rocky area on Resurrection Bay) before heading back, but the wind was strong and cut through my clothes easily.

After adding another layer under my fleece, I went driving through town, taking the side streets to check out the residential areas. Like Valdez, the homes here vary in size, type, and age. There are huge homes with large windows situated up on bluffs overlooking the Bay. And then there are small cabins tucked in between larger, more modern homes.

The Alaska SeaLife Center seems to be the main attraction here. We plan on visiting it tomorrow. The Small Boat Harbor is about the same size as the marina in Valdez, but doesn't have as many shops, outfitters, or eateries. I spent a good thirty minutes in the Kenai Fjords Visitor Center looking at photos and thumbing through books about Alaska wildlife and wildflowers. It was a welcome respite from the wind.

I drove by the Seward Museum (I plan to visit it the day before we leave here), in search of St. Peter's Episcopal Church. St. Peter's was built in 1906 and is considered the oldest Protestant church on the Kenai Peninsula. Further down the road, I came upon the Seward Pioneer Cemetery, and read the names of some of the deceased - many who were born in the mid-late 1800's. I can't help but wonder what their lives were like more than a hundred years ago....

I stopped into the Library to inquire about Internet connections here in town. Here at the Resort, you can check email on their computer, but I can't plug in my laptop to upload to my journal. It was the same at the library - and the line at the library to use the Internet was a long one. The librarian directed me to a local computer store which will allow me to hook my laptop up to their LAN line for a fee. I'm going to wait and upload just before leaving here - probably on Thursday evening. You'll have several days' worth of entries to read then.

I came back to the camper for a late lunch. By that time the sun was coming in and out of the clouds, but it was still a bit chilly. I didn't expect Steve back from his fishing trip until after 6pm, but he surprised me when he got back at 4:30. He was smiling - that's ALWAYS a good sign - and told me he had caught two halibut (the limit allowed per person/per day) and five rock bass. His halibut weighed in at twelve and nineteen pounds (about average for the entire boat). A little girl went with them and she got the biggest halibut on the boat - at 38 pounds. But the biggest catch of the day was taken on another army boat - a monster of a halibut weighing 99 pounds. That was one happy soldier!

It took about an hour and a half to have the fish cleaned and filleted. Then we loaded the pieces into vacuum bags and sealed them up. They're in a huge freezer here at the resort, just waiting for us to pick them up before we leave.

We decided to go out to dinner and then walk downtown. We ate at a restaurant - Christo's Palace - with great atmosphere (it reminded me of a high-class saloon with the dark wood of the bar and ceiling). I wasn't very hungry and got a Caesar's salad. Steve was famished after his day on the boat and got Garlic Halibut Portobello - a pricey dish, but one that he said was absolutely delicious. Christo's is known for its home-made pizza. We might try that tomorrow night.

We took a short walk past the shops (most were closed for the evening) and then drove down to the beach/bay area. Eagles soared overhead and sea otters played in the surf close to shore. It was a nice walk... quiet... and the scenery was so beautiful. After our walk, we headed out to Miller's Landing - a winding drive on a gravel road that skirted the bluffs on Resurrection Bay. Several waterfalls fell next to the roadway and I stopped to take a few photos. Seward is a quaint little town and we're enjoying our visit.

Tomorrow after the museum, we may go visit Exit Glacier. The weatherman is calling for rain. What else is new?

Seward Marina	St. Peters Church	Old Pier Pilings Resurrection Bay
Downtown Seward	Life and Death	Hotel and Theater
Steve's Catch	Eagle in Tree	Seward Waterfall

Wednesday, June 16 - Seward Sea Life Center

It is a rainy, miserable day. The kind of day that the locals say is pretty 'typical' for this time of year. It's also chilly outside - a mere 50 degrees. It was a good day for exploring the Alaska SeaLife Center.

Yesterday, while wandering around town, I asked the clerk at the SeaLife Center if they offered military discounts. He said they didn't. Today, Steve went to the lodge to see if we could get discounted tickets. We saved $2.00 each buying them here at the resort. (It's always worth checking!)

The SeaLife Center is small, but interesting. We only spent an hour there, but there wasn't too much activity in the underwater viewing pools. If there would have been, we would have surely stayed longer. Also, the outdoor viewing glass at the top of the pools was rain streaked; this made photography nearly impossible. The same for actual viewing. What a shame. I'm sure the Center is a great place to visit when the sun is shining and the animals are more active.

There are two floors. The brochure directs you upstairs first. There