Wednesday, July 20, 2011 Palmer, Alaska

It's another beautiful day.  The sun is shining and we are off to Palmer.  We are doing a ride-share to the Palmer Visitor's Center and the l935 Colony House.  We split into two groups to visit each. 
The Colony House is an example of the houses that were built in l935 as a result of the government's New Deal to bring people from the depression areas of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota to the Matanuska region of Alaska for a new start.  202 families moved here and were given 40 acres, a house, barn and some out buildings as well as a $200 credit to Montgomery Ward Catalog for a $3,000 debt.  Most families were able to carve out a living and remain here still today.









Looking inside all the rooms brought back memories of kitchen gadgets, furniture and miscellaneous pieces that we all grew up with.  Nothing like the good old days.  Although, nobody is complaining about having computers or microwave ovens.
 















At the Visitor's Center, we were given a talk on the history of the region from the Athabascan Natives being the first inhabitants of this region.  The Russian hunters and traders started operating trading posts here then they sold off their claim to Alaska in l867 for two cents per acre for 586,400 square miles of mostly unexplored land.  There were several displays and photographs from early settled life.  This small town is named after a rugged, pre-Klondike Alaskan pioneer named George W. Palmer.  He was quite the entrepreneur involved with many different aspects of this growing community.

Outside the center was a beautiful garden with a wide variety of healthy and colorful flowers.  There also were some vegetables growing including giant cabbage.  Palmer has produced many record setting vegetables including a 64 lb. cantaloupe and a l27 lb. cabbage.















After the tours, we all went to the Cafe Inn for a very good lunch.  The building was originally built in l935 to house local workers, but is now a quaint Inn and Cafe with many old furnishings.















We drove to The Musk Ox Farm a few miles from town.  There we were given a presentation about a unique domestication project that began in l954 with a vision to provide an economic supplement to remote Alaskan communities.  We walked into the fields to view and feed them up close.  The farm currently has 65 Ox including about l3 recently born calves. 

















The rest of the day was spent enjoying the outdoors, since it was so beautiful out.  Had our Travel Briefing, Social Hour and played cards until the sun went down. 

Another great day!!!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011 Seward to Palmer, Alaska

We leave Seward this morning on a bright sun shiny day.  Since Spence and Madi, our Tailgunner's, were already in Anchorage getting their RV repaired, we volunteered to help out making sure everyone had no difficulties leaving the park nor on the road.  We left at 9:30 from a very nice park, Stoney Creek.

This is a collage of the countryside along our route to Anchorage.  Mountains, rivers and lakes the entire way.


















And, of course, flowers.











Our road went along different bodies of water for miles on end.  The road was quite narrow in certain areas - certainly didn't have many other options but to stay on the road.  You can barely see, but on the left side of the road is a bike path.  It must be 100 miles long and in very good condition.












Next to the road and the bike path is a railroad track as well.  This particular train was forever long.  Would say at least 100 cars.











Here is another shot of the bike path - only now it is on the right side of the road.





















After we arrived in Anchorage, we got together w/our friends Luann and Dana for lunch.  It was good seeing them again.  I meant to take another picture, but w/the excitment of seeing and talking w/them, I completely forgot.







Besides seeing Luann and Dana, it was an uneventful trip to Palmer; however, as soon as we did pull in our site, we saw four sheep.  Just great fun seeing all the animals.






As soon as everyone arrived, Social Hour began w/drinks, appetizers and stories of their trips to Palmer.  Wasn't a lot to see on the way today.  Still a lot to talk about.  Four couples drove to Whittier, which entails driving through a 2 mile tunnel.  They unhooked their cars from their RV's and just drove their vehicles through.  This same tunnel is also used by trains.  Not something I would do.


Then at 7 p.m. we had a cookout over an open fire with marshmellows, etc.  Ken, our Trail Master, showed us how to make bisquits over the open fire.  You wrap them over a dowel, shape them and once they are done, you should be able to slide them off.  Then you fill them w/pudding, cream, jams or whatever else you can think of.  They were actually quite good. By the looks of them, you can tell, we had a lot of laughs.



Another fun night!!!

Monday, July 18, 2011 Seward, Alaska

It is a beautiful day.  It stopped raining, the sun is out and we are ready for a fun day.  To begin with, we took a two mile walk alongside Exit Glacier











Isn't it amazing to see these beautiful flowers next to
a Glacier?  The air is quite cool because we are standing
next to ice yet no problem for the flowers.












The path is roped off so people don't attempt to walk on the ice as it could calf (break off) at any time.



Exit Glacier descends 2,700 feet over its 2 mile length.
















We stopped off in a wooded area next to our campground looking for a brown bear that we saw the night before.  Unfortunately, he wasn't there but we saw many Eagles looking for fish scraps that the bear left.  This is exactly where we saw the bear.

To our disappointment, our l/2 day Salmon Fishing Trip was cancelled due to problems w/the boat.  We went back to the campground and I caught up on e-mails, facebook, etc.; however, Bruce had another plan - to hike Marathon Mountain.  They have a race here every 4th of July running up and down the mountain. 
In this picture, he is half way up the mountain.  You can see the town of Seward in the background.  From what I heard, it was a very dangerous hike.



He is at the top looking down at the Inlet.
















So high he is overlooking another glacier.

Needless to say, this sign didn't discourage Bruce.














This was my view from my desk in the RV.

Even though our day didn't go as planned, it turned out just fine.  Anytime the sun is shining, it is a good day.

Sunday, July 17, 2011 Seward, Alaska

What do I wear???? A cloudy and overcast day - not a good start to the day. We will be touring inside and taking a boat trip - humm - such a dilema!!

 
We drove into town and started off on a behind the scenes tour of The Alaska Sea Life Center.  They take in injured small seal life or babies that have been abandoned by their Mom's.  Their intention is to make them better and put them back in the wilds.  If that isn't possible, they will give them to other facilities, such as zoo's.  They explained how they purify the water w/these huge tanks, etc.  Very interesting.  Even how they operated on a fish that couldn't hatch it's eggs.  They even did an MRI on a fish - go figure!!!   The facility was absolutely beautiful and a lot of it was supported by the money that they got from the Valdez Oil spill that affected Seward.

We took a Major Marine Tour in Resurrection Bay, going through Eldorado Narrows to the Bear Glacier and back again.  It was a five hour cruise w/an all you can east Salmon and Prime Rib lunch.  Very very good.  Again, I tried the Salmon - it was pretty good - and I did eat it.  Squeezed a couple lemon slices on it but it went down just fine. 

We saw a lot of wildlife:  Mountain goats, Humpback and Orca Whales, Steller Seal Lions, Dall's Porpoise's, Puffins (cute little bird), Bald Eagles, Sea Otter's, Cormorant's and of course, Sea Gulls.  Everyone's camera's were flashing but the whales didn't make it easy to get a shot of them.  Had a very good Captain as he stopped whenever we saw a whale
so we could get pictures. 

We had a National Forest Ranger narrating the trip.





This is a distant picture of the glacier.  6 miles long.













Close up of the glacier ice all piled up.  We were surprised we didn't get closer but I'm sure the Captain had a reason for that.













On our way back to the RV, Bruce spotted a bear walking in a small creek trying to get at some salmon.  I think if you double click on the picture,it will open up bigger - not sure!  He was quite large and Bruce was only 25' away from him.











Bruce likes his trains - Alaska colors, blue and gold.

It started raining towards the end of our cruise and hasn't stopped yet.  Hopefully, tomorrow will be a nice day as we are taking a boat out to go Salmon Fishing.  Heaven help me!!!

Saturday, July 16, 2011 Travel to Seward, Alaska

This has been the view from the window of our RV at our campground in Homer.  Of course, today, when we have to leave, it is absolutely beautiful.  It's sunny and warm.



Along the road, there are flowers of all sizes and colors.  It is hard to tell, but these are daisies and this view goes on for miles.






We didn't stop for any sightseeing today as it wasn't a very long drive, but it was a breathtaking one.  This is a view of Tustumena Lake.  The water is a torquoise color due to the sediment from the glaciers.  Unbelievably beautiful.  This lake went on and on forever.  Alaska is definitely the state of lakes.








I don't recall where the following pictures were taken or the names of all the mountains but I took tons of pictures anyway.  It is all part of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge




The day kept getting warmer and more beautiful.  Wish we could have taken a long walk vs driving.











A huge waterfall in the town of Seward.  Of course, Bruce had to walk down as close as he could to the water. 
Seward is known as the "Gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park" and voted an All-America City for the third time.  It is a very picturesque community nestled  between high mountain ranges  on a small rise stretching from Resurection Bay to the foot of Mount Marthan.






A 200' sailboat sitting out in the bay because it is too big to put into the dock.  Everyone was curious as to who owned it.












Eagles everywhere.  They are are not intimidated by people.
After we returned from downtown, we had our travel briefing for the next leg of our trip and enjoyed another Social Hour to hear about everyone else's trip to Seward.
Bruce and I went for a walk then went w/Cindy and Ron to look for bears - there is a fish hatchery not far from here so bears are noted to be around.
We played cards again - Ron won "again" - then went for another drive.  No luck seeing any bears.