Aug 15-16 Jackson, WY

Sat. Aug. 15 Up early to meet Dimmie and Greg to go to the Farmer's Market. We bought some wonderful produce which we sent home with Greg and Shep while Dimmie and I went to the Art Fair. http://www.jhartfair.org/ It is a relatively small show but it is very good. The artists are excellent.Wendy Newman, who made my new necklace, was there. she gave me the information sheet with all of the stones listed. Very cool. Shep went back to Gros Ventre http://www.usparkinfo.com/grandteton.htmlto do a little fishing while Dim and I continued to shop!! Dimmie dropped me off at the campsite in the afternoon so that I could do a little beading. Greg and Dimmie returned in the evening to have dinner and a campfire with us. We sat and watched the full moon rise over the Sleeping Indian mountain http://www.alltravelcams.com/jackson_hole/sleeping_indian.php
in a clear sky. It was so bright that the tip of the Grand Teton could be seen by the snow reflecting the moonlight. A wonderful evening!

Sun. Aug. 16. Greg and Shep are ditch digging in anticipation of putting electricity to the barn Dimmie is turning into a potter's studio for herself. They are dirty and sweaty men!

Aug 12 - 14 Salt Lake City, UT

Tues. Aug 12 Up very early to get to the airport by 7am. As we were checking we were told that Delta was asking for bumps because of the volcano delays. They would give all 4 of us vouchers good for a year plus guarantee seats on a flight 3 hours later. Needless to say we jumped on it; except for Kipp who was sort of dragged along with us. We had an extra three hours in the Anchorage airport which gave us the best view we had of Mt. McKinley the entire time we were in Alaska. Go fingure.This site shows live webcam so sometimes you can see it and sometimes not, but you can check out some older shots to get the idea. http://www.acsyellowpages.com/webcam/McKinley%20Cam/images/webcam02707.jpg
We arrived in SLC about 7pm local time. Early to bed for all of us, poor Kipp has to go to work in the am.

Wed. Aug. 13. Kipp went to work, Jeanne for her shot to help get rid of her bee sting allergies. Shep and I slept in a little and did some laundry. Jeanne returned to take us to lunch at the Dodo Reasturant. We then proceeded to the Utah Hands Gallery http://utahands.com/where we met with the artist, Wendy Newman, http://www.wendynewmanjewelry.com/whe showed me her newest works. I got to pick what I wanted in exchange for the things I had returned. What a treat. I also was able to find a wedding gift and a Christmas gift in the gallery. I am so excited and pleased with all my purchases.
We grabbed a couple of pizzas for dinner. Our next project was to move everything out of the little room so that carpet can be laid in the morning. we all collapsed early.

Thurs. Aug 14. We were up early to move the remaining furniture out of the room and make way for the workiers. On the road to Jackson by way of Logan Pass http://www.public-domain-photos.com/travel/montana/logan-pass-4.htm and Bear Lake.http://www.bearlake.com/
We arrived in Jackson about 4pm. When we entered the Fox the smell was horrific. Evidentally the fridge/freezer had stopped for some reason, there was propane, and everything had spoiled; tuna, shrimp, chicken, filets, bacon. Yuck!!I hope we are able to get the stink out of the freezer!!

Aug 9-11 Denali, AL

Sat. Aug. 9 It is so odd to wake up at 5am and have it be so bright out. It rained on and off all night making it damp and very chilly as we climbed aboard the slightly modified school bus for our trip through Denali at 6am. http://www.nps.gov/dena/ It is about 80 miles mostly on a gravel road to the Kantishna Lodge. Our driver, LaVerne, was a wealth of information and was able to stop the bus on a dime when we spotted wildlife. We saw 6 grizzly bears, one with a cub, ptarmigans, golden eagle, fox, Dahl sheep, caribou, moose, snowshoe hair, ground squirrel, marmot in the 14 hours that we were on the bus. Lunch was served at the Kantishna Lodge http://www.kantishnaroadhouse.com/lodge.htm which used to be a gold mining camp. While we were there we heard an Athabaskan elder speak about her culture as well as another native give a dog sled exhibition. http://www.42explore2.com/sleddog.htm http://www.iditarod.com/



The ride back out of the park is long, especially when you realize that you are revisiting all the same potholes that we hit on the way in. We did see several more animals on the way back out though. McKinley was still illusive behind the layer of clouds but there are so many other amazing vistas and peaks that it is still exciting. There are mountains everywhere you look.




Sun. Aug 10 It rained heavily all night so it seemed like a really good morning to sleep in. After a late breakfast we toured the visitor's center and had reindeer stew for lunch. Shep, Kipp and Jeanne suited up for the rain and took a short hike at the Savage River area which is at the end of the area where personal vehicles are able to travel. I decided to stay in the car and read. We went to a little restaurant called the Park for an amazing meal to celebrate Jeanne and Kipp's 17th anniversary.

Mon. Aug 11 A four hour drive to Anchorage took as into the sunshine again! We returned to the Snow Goose Brewery http://www.alaskabeers.com/ rooftop for lunch. We walked around town for a while and then found our B & B, the Arctic Fox. http://www.arcticfoxinn.com/ It is a cute little apt. We also returned to Orso http://www.orsoalaska.com/ for Alaskan King Crab for dinner. We are a little concerned about our flight tomorrow because there are a couple of volcanoes erupting in the Aleutian Islands that have sent ash plumes into the flight paths causing many cancellations. We will find out soon enough.

Aug 6-7-8 Talkeetna, AL

Wed. Aug.6 The sun was out sparkling on the water and we were able to see the mountains clearly for the first time since we arrived in Seward. Too bad we have to leave today. We packed up the Jeep again. We spent a little time in town shopping and mailing and finding an ATM. Money goes very quickly up here in the north land. We hit the road north to Talkeetna. A short stop in Whitney area for a great view of another glacier.Back through Anchorage and on north. http://www.talkeetnachamber.org/photogallery.html Our arrival at the Talkeetna Roadhouse was under a sunny sky. The Roadhouse http://www.talkeetnaroadhouse.com/ is literally an old roadhouse in a charming little town that has been overrun by tourists. A few little gift shops, a bead shop, several restaurants, a plethora of fishing and flying concessions. Kipp and Shep talked to several of the flight agents and we debated when to schedule our flight.Since it was such gorgeous weather right then(about 8pm) while we were trying to second guess tomorrow’s weather, Jeanne and I made the executive decision that now was the perfect time to fly especially since it does not get dark until almost midnight. After a brief run to the Roadhouse for jackets we returned to the airfield ready to roll.

http://www.hudsonair.com/ Shep jammed

himself in the back seat, Jeanne and I next and Kipp rode co-pilot. It was a tight squeeze but everyone could see and take pictures. What an incredible experience!! Our pilot, Jacques, (I think he made that up!) was a very low key, calm guy who flew very well. It was a very smooth take off and flight. We were at bout 8,000 ft flying among the mountains. Clouds had come in so we really did not get to see the peaks but we got awesome views of so much. Jacques gave us a lot of information about the area and the geology. After Jacques lowered the skis, we landed on Pika Glacier. It was an uphill landing, but it was perfect. We got out to hike around on the glacier. Jeanne and I did a little yoga before we got back in the plane for the downhill take off. What a once in a lifetime experience!! After a perfect landing we were really pretty excited, calling for drinks and some food. Notice in the last picture on this post in the middle bottom, the plane that is taking off from the glacier where we landed!!

Thursday Aug 7. Since we had all the excitement last night today was a laid back day. Breakfast at the Roadhouse is a very filling affair. The half orders are enough to make your clothes tight. We did take a little walk along the railroad tracks. The foliage and ferns are really tall and thick. We visited all the little shops (maybe 12 or so) including the bead shop. The afternoon was spent soaking in the tub and napping (Jeanne) photographing (Kipp) reading in the sun (Shep) and reading and relaxing (me). Dinner at the West Rib Grille http://www.flickr.com/photos/janinef71/2708960001/ involved oysters on the half shell, snow crab and halibut tacos. Another belly buster that necessitated a stroll along the river as well as a visit to the local cemetery which has a memorial to all the climbers that have died on the mountains, Denali, McKinley, and Hunter.

Fri. Aug 8. Another great breakfast to the Roadhouse with cookies for the road, was followed by a visit to the local museum. http://www.talkeetnahistoricalsociety.org/museum.php There are small buildings that have been restored to house the museum, the little red schoolhouse, the railroad depot, the miner’s cabin. Very neat displays from the early mining, railroad, mushing, aviation and daily survival. Then we were moving on down the road to Denali. The closer we got to the mountains the less we could see; the clouds and rain moved in. It was pretty thick and dense cloud cover with a down-pouring rain. This meant a trip to the liquor store so that we could survive the afternoon in our little cabins http://www.denalirivercabins.com/contact.htm overlooking the river. The 2002 Big Moose Red is mighty tasty. At least we were not among the poor schmucks who had already signed up and paid for the river rafting trip this afternoon. What a cold, wet miserable trip that would be today!

Aug 3-4-5 Seward, Alaska

Sun. Aug 3rd. We awoke to more fog and clouds. A little coffee, tea and blueberry muffin and we are off to explore the town. http://www.sewardak.org/ The Alaska Sea Life Center http://www.alaskasealife.org/ was our first stop. It is really interesting and educational.The original purpose of the center was to save animals during the Valdez oil spill. They still do marine animal rescue and rehabilitation. We saw a lot of fish and sea creatures as well as sea lions, seals, puffins and other sea birds. Good experience. The next stop had to be lunch before we headed up for the Exit Glacier hike. http://www.revver.com/video/952664/alaskaorg-exit-glacier-tour-seward-alaska-official-video/
We did see fairly fresh bear scat on the trail, but no bears. It was a very easy walk to the toe of the glacier, but it was pretty chilly. It is disheartening to see how much the glacier has receded in the past 30 years. Anyone who does not believe in global warming needs to look at the glaciers. We were able to get pretty close to the glacier. The blue color of the ice is striking. They get about 70 feet of snow on the glacier every winter.
A stop at the store for the ingredients for cioppino and we are set for the night. A good meal and a little Bailey's after dinner, a good way to end a good day in Seward.

Mon. Aug 4. We had a pretty lazy day with the low lying clouds and fog. We went into Seward to visit the local museum. What an interesting little place with lots of history and artifacts; Iditarod http://www.iditarod.com/ memorabilia, how the town was settled, Alaska Nellie, involvement in WWII, the earthquake of 1964 were all very well chronicled as well as info about the native people. We also visited a couple of the local art galleries. We wandered around the harbor taking pictures, gawking at the boats and taking pictures. We also visited a boat yard on the far side of the bay which is located near the state maximum security prison. We settled in for the evening with a fire and various reading materials. This little cottage is bursting with a variety of books, maps and pamphlets about Alaska.

Tues. Aug 5 Everyone was up and dressed early in order to get on the boat that took us to Fox Island in Resurrection Bay for three hours of sea kayaking followed by a wildlife cruise. http://www.kenaifjords.com/

Shep and Kipp both bought hats the other day to match their jackets. They ended up with the exact same hats and it just so happens that their coats match too; they did turn a few heads on the boat. It's the Blues Brothers visit Brokeback Mountain. Jeanne and I can't stop laughing, they look so cute!!

It is still cloudy, foggy and chilly so we had to dress in layers for this adventure. We paddled along the shoreline in a place that today was misnamed Sunny Cove. http://www.sunnycove.com/The shore was lined with reddish colored starfish that like to bunch up together. Shep and I were in a tandem kayak and we did pretty well for novices, and we did not fight they way we have done in a canoe in the past. We got back to the lodge on Fox Island for a salmon bake lunch before we were picked up by another boat that took us further up the bay for some wildlife spitting. We saw a humpback whale, a first for Shep and I. We also saw puffins, stellar seals, sea otters, a rookery, and a variety of sea birds. We also were able to see a couple of glaciers. What a great day!! We returned to the cottage to make a meal out of all the food we had left in the fridge; halibut, shrimp and bay scallops with several veggies. While we were cooking the sun made an appearance, the first all week. The temp went up enough that we decided to have dinner outdoors beside a fire. We watched sea otters play right off the shore in front of the cottage. What a wonderful day.

Aug 1 - 2 Homer to Seward, AL

Friday Aug 1st We were up early to get to the dock for halibut fishing. http://www.alaskacoastalmarine.com/ We had tons of clothes on and extra with us. The sea was very choppy with BIG waves. We were out of the harbor by 7:05am. It was a 2 hour trip to the fishing spot. the boat was rocking and rolling the whole time. Kipp was feeling it in spite of the patches that we had all put on the night before. There were 14 people on the trip plus the captain and mate, who were both still in college.

A 9 year old was so excited to be going on a big fishing trip with his dad and granddad, until he started to throw up. The poor kid never left the cabin; he desperately wanted to go back home.

Kipp had a brief episode early but did rally for the fishing.

A three pound weight is tied to the line with a big circular hook and a major chunk of bait is tossed into the water and falls swiftly to the bottom; between 160 and 190 feet below. It takes MUCH longer to crank that thing back up, even if you do not have a fish on the line. Of course because of the high seas, inexperienced fishers and active fish on some lines the lines would get tangled. It was hysterical. In the beginning they kept throwing the fish we caught back because they said we would get bigger ones and you are only permitted to keep 2 each.

We did catch our limit of fish which ended up being over 60 pounds of fish to be shipped home. When we were done fishing it is another 2 hours back to the harbor. We were so exhausted and sore from trying to keep our balance, hang on the the rod, crank up the fish and try to stay warm that we could not get it together to cook dinner. Jeanne and I hit the hot tub as soon as we got back and made reservations at a wonderful place called Wasabi on the East End Road. They had a lot of sushi on the menu,

which we all love, but none of us could stand the thought of it after spending the day smelling fish!! We were back in our rooms and all in bed before 9. It was a great day, lots of fun but Jeanne and I decided that the next time we will use the money for a day at the spa instead.

Sat. Aug 2. All of us slept in this morning after a great nights sleep. We packed the car tightly again for the trip. Jeanne and I wanted to go to the local bead shop to find spacer beads so that I can restring her aunt's antique green crystal necklace. We walked over to find out that it did not open for another half hour. Good thing the Farmers' Market was right beside the shop. We bought some little things from the locals before Kipp and Shep found us.

We bought a few items for our dinner before we went back to the bead shop where we found the perfect beads to restore the necklace. Then it was back on the road to Seward. The further away from Homer we drove the colder and cloudier the weather became. We made a stop in a Fred Meyers store where I bought a new pair of pants because I could not get to my suitcase to change into anthing else.

We finally arrived in Seward and found the Cottage by the Bay. http://www.onthebayak.com/ Sue, the owner, is very friendly and a wealth of information.The cottage is her home with all of her things in it. She and her husband, who looks like Jerry Garcia, have a little apt. above the garage next door. Miller's Landing is a short walk up the road where we signed up for a pot luck dinner that they sponser every Sat. night. what a great meal we had for $7 each. That is certainly the cheapest thing going in Alaska! They fry up a mess of fish and everyone either brings a dish to share or buys a ticket. We did not have time to whip anything up so we paid. It was really fun. We sat and watched a guy fillet fish and feed the gulls. The gulls are very active here at the end of the day. A pair of eagles stood on the beach and watched everything in search of a free meal. Back at the cottage we Jeanne and I attempted to build a fire with wood that was not quite dry enough nor small enough, and we ended up with a wet smokey smell. Time for bed.