On the way to Seward

The dog's name is Boz, short for Bosley.  He loved to be in the house with all the people but has to stay on the deck or in the yard much of the time.  His size means that he can get in the way very quickly.  They keep his fur clipped because he gets nasty things caught in it.  I loved the dog.  They also have a cat - not sure of what kind, but it is large, has pointy ears and very long fur.  I am not a cat person but I sure loved Boz.  (Click on photos to enlarge)

 

Seward is a fair distance away and we broke up the trip into many parts, stopping along the way.  There were marshes with boardwalks and a side trip to an animal rescue center which held moose that had been hit by vehicles, animals caught in traps, etc.  One animal was found limping along a road dragging its foot that has been clamped in the jaws of a trap.  One moose in particular looked ghastly but everyone assured me how much he had improved since he was there.   Alaska seems to be quite concerned with injured or orphaned animals but I'm sure they can get to only a relative few of them.

Some sights along the way.  It looks like rain, but we never had any heavy downpours, just a sprinkling now and then.  I had my rain jacket and didn't care if I got wet or not!

At the rescue center:  (This guy is plumb pitiful, huh?)

Some bears:

It looks like he's scratching an itch! 

L

jo

We finally arrived in Seward, and Pam had reserved a duplex with 3 bedrooms each right on Kenai Fjord.  You can see the RV's across the street that stretch for a long way in either direction.  At one time I had thought I would enjoy driving an RV to Alaska, but seeing them packed in like this makes me realize it wouldn't be my style of camping.  I guess for the joy in being in Alaska I could do it though.  I did notice many, many Class C rentals.  It seems that rather than make that terribly long drive folks are either flying in or taking the cruise, and then RVing around once they get there.  It may have been that way all along, and I invite viewers who have been there to weigh in on this subject.

  
The RVers kept coming late into the evening and the strip of land was soon packed with campers.

The next morning Joe, his two girls, and I boarded the boat that took us down Resurrection Bay and around the peninsula up to Ailik Glacier.  It was a 6 hr tour with lunch served followed a little later with huge home baked chocolate chip cookies!

The water got choppy in places and I enjoyed the rockin' and rollin'.  Several passengers got seasick.  I also enjoy bumpy plane rides!  The big problem is that it was too cold to be out on deck all the time, and there was not adequate seating inside for all passengers.   I will show the photos I was able to take in tomorrow's post.  It burns me up to try to get a photo and all around me are outstretched arms holding their phones; they never stop and it's very difficult to even take a decent picture.  I deleted several because all I got were people's arms.  There is too little consideration for others in this world most of the time.   

This tour was the best part of my trip - actually it is difficult to settle on one part over another, but it was spectacular.   I saw things I have never seen before and probably won't ever see again, and that has to be a big thing to me.

 My timing has been way off since I returned, but opposite to what would be normal (Sac is one hour later than Wasilla).  I wake up by 6am and am thinking about going to bed by 8pm, although I'm trying to hold off until at least 9:00.  The apple cider vinegar worked, but now I also have big red marks all over my arms and legs - they are bruises and it seems my skin is so thin it doesn't take much to look like I've been in a war, and I feel so tired all the time.  It couldn't be old age, could it?  I had begun to think of 75 as late mid-life but I guess I'm wrong.

At the cabin and Talkeetna

We spent a couple of days at the cabin which is a little past the turnoff to Talkeetna.  I think of a cabin as a little wooden structure in the woods, rough hewn logs, etc.  (Click on photos to enlarge).

This is the cabin on 9 beautiful wooded acres - a lovely 3 level home. I enjoyed being in the spacious and welcoming  interior and just watching the birds all around us.  I didn't see any larger animals although they were probably nearby.

We took a day trip to Talkeetna, a little town I've heard about on various RV'ers blogs.  Before I first considered buying my own RV I read a blog of an older couple who drove to Alaska pulling a Big Woody teardrop trailer and living in it, and that piqued my interest.  Next one I remember reading was the blog of Fred and Jo Wishnie and the account of their Alaska travels.  I so wanted to see the state, and Talkeetna, Homer, Hope, etc.  I didn't get to Homer or Hope, but maybe next trip!

The bear on the wall is a Kodiak bear.  I recall my mom telling me about one of her cousins who made yearly trips to Alaska to hunt.  It must have been back in the 1950's when he was attacked and mauled by a Kodiak and nearly died.  He lived, but was never the same according to the reports.  I also remember that around this time a sporting goods store in Cincinnati had a stuffed Kodiak bear in front of the store, standing on two legs and waving his front paws.  It had to be 12 or more ft tall!  Beautiful animal, but frightening if you met a live one.

We went into Talkeetna and walked around some - I'm no longer much interested in going in and out of tourist shops or walking about a town that resembles so many others.  I guess it's a sign of my age, becaue I used to love it.  We ate at a fantistic pub that featured Alaskan craft brews, and I enjoyed "a couple of mugs ofMother's Ale" to accompany the best pulled pork sandwich I've ever had.  I bought a t-shirt and will have a photo taken of me wearing it one of these days.  

Some of our party were interested in fishing and made arrangements with a boat's captain for the following day.  Joe caught a good sized fish that was out of season and had to throw it back, and a few of the party caught legal salmon.  I believe pinks, dogfish, and a couple of others are not allowed right now.

I wish I could show more photos but although there are many thumbnail size prints on my computer I can't tell very well what they are or the quality of the photography.

On another subject, I have been wondering whatever happened to "elevator music".  I am so damned sick and tired of rock, which accompanies just about everything.  I quit watching YouTube because of it, but still hear it everywhere.  Yesterday I listened to Pandora music for a while - Easy Listening, Julie London Radio, and Baroque music!  If I ever liked some rock I certainly can't stand it anymore.

Joe trimmed several of the bushes in my yard, and Ed (next door) asked if he could do some of his.  Yesterday Joe obliged, and since I had a bin delivered for disposing of my own green waste, he threw most of Ed's into the bin as well.  The park folks took it away before he was finished so I had it back today and filled it myself.  I had given Joe a tarp to catch the debris, and it was easy to pull it close to the bin.  While I was at it I trimmed some of the heather which is overgrown in my back yard.  Now I need to use the leaf blower and clean up, although I don't like using loud electric devices.  When Mike bought it for me he also bought some headgear to cover the ears, if I can ever find it.  

I registered today for some art classes - one is a free class on painting and I am taking Autumn (my granddaughter) to the class.  I'm also reserved for two paid classes in September - one of Landscape art and one on Seascape.  If I mentioned this before, please excuse the duplication.

One more thing, I received a comment from Marsha on my blog about the musk ox and their fur (quiviut).  I'm copying it here because it is in a past blog post and most folks would miss it:  

Marsha has left a new comment on your post "Animal farms":

We visited the Musk Ox Farm a few days after you did. It was an interesting tour and I indulged in an ounce of the yarn to make myself something REALLY REALLY special. 


My response was:


Gypsy has left a new comment on your post "Animal farms":

I loved watching the musk ox - their eyes are so expressive. I would love to see what you make with the yarn. It is so wildly expensive I don't think I could even afford a small bit of it. The tour guide let us feel her neck warmer that was made from quiviut and it was so soft and warm, unlike anything I've ever felt.
  

I can't believe I'm still a bit jet lagged and on Alaska time (1 hour earlier than CA).  I've been keeping busy so I'm really getting exhausted.  I went to the gym this morning so I could walk on the treadmill, and hoped to maybe walk around the park this evening after the temp drops a bit, but I'm not sure I'll be able to do it.  That is what I want to get to doing though - walking twice a day.

And on a final note, my skin has become so itchy since I'm back.  My legs, arms, the top of my feet, etc., are itching like crazy.  I looked for a remedy at Target today but didn't find anything that I wanted to try.  I wonder if it could be the drier weather?  It never affected me going back and forth to New York though.  

Reindeer

There are pretty many reindeer in the large pens, and at one point we were allowed to go in with them.  We were warned to not touch their antlers as they are very sensitive.  The antlers brushed us as they crowded around.  Everyone was given a small margarine size cup full of pellets to feed the deer.   You pour a few into your hand and when a deer nudges up to get it you put your hand with the pellets into his mouth.  They can't bite as the teeth they have are far back in their mouths.  It's a weird sensation to say the least.

Deer come up to you to look for food and then, being somewhat fickle, they go on to what they think are greener pastures.  Deer are always softly bumping you to get more pellets.  It was fun, a little strange, but a great experience.

The bunny is in the wrong sequence as are the horses.  I don't like rabbits so I wouldn't touch one, although kids enjoyed it.  The horses were waiting for a scheduled trail ride, and it seems like I have more "The End" photos.

These two are taken in the pen, but I couldn't hold my camera when all the animals were surrounding me looking for food, so I didn't get any good "action" photos.

Another day we went to a good location to ride the ATV's.  The first group went out and I stayed behind with a few others, just enjoying the scenery, having just about decided I didn't want to ride.   When they came back Joe asked me if I wanted him to take me out.  I told him only if he didn't drive fast or reckless, and he promised.  He was as good as his word.  After a short time out I told him I was ready to go back.  I'm glad I can say I've been on an ATV, but don't think I'll repeat it.   Too noisy, bumpy, and the terrain was more rugged than I liked.  The rest of them rode all the way out to a glacier but I didn't go nearly that far.

Someone got a photo of Joe and me on the ATV but I haven't seen it yet.

Pam had packed a nice lunch and we enjoyed sitting by the river eating and wondering if there were fish to be caught.  That was the topic of discussion with every body of water, large and small, that we encountered.

Tomorrow I am determined to get back to walking on the treadmill.  I'd like to rouse up enough energy to walk around the Park in the evening as well.  I know I have heart disease and am noticing a couple of signs of it, and walking is the best thing I can do for it according to what several doctors have told me.  It's a habit I need to get back in to.

 

Animal farms

We visited a musk ox farm and were given a tour that was fascinating.  I had never seen this animal up close - it really isn't an ox, but a goat.   Their underwool is 8 times warmer than sheep's wool, and the Native peoples have exclusive rights to weave and sell it.  There were many items on display that were so soft and warm, and incredibly expensive!   The wool is called quiviut (ki'-vee-ut).

Click on a picture to enlarge.

The musk ox is a beautiful animal and seems to be very gentle.  The red buildings in the background are where people stay who come to help with their care.

Next we went to a reindeer farm.

This new baby and his mom were so cute.  I think he isn't more than a day old. 

There were also other animals that the kids enjoyed - the chickens and the hog.  I note that I have a couple of photos I could call "The End", but that is Judy's (Bird Lady) thing.

 The reindeer are in a huge pen, and next to them is Dolly, the bison. The guide told us that Dolly is very gentle as she has never been around animals other than reindeer and considers herself one of them.

I don't want to bore anyone with too many photos, so please allow me to continue with the reindeer in tomorrow's post.

Another word about the weather in Alaska.   It was mostly in the 60's which was wonderful after the triple digits in Sacramento.  I wore my fleece jacket much of the first few days and was very comfortable.  The rain is sporadic - off and on - and was never very heavy.  When the sun came out it was the most glorious sight, and everything took on a new look.  I find a similar experience in Sacramento during the rainy season (of which we don't have many these days).  The rain is needed and welcome, but if the sun comes out it is a gift, if only a brief view.

Speaking of weather, my son Mike told me they left Sacramento at 109F and arrived in Monterey a couple hours later where it was 59F!   What a change.

I'll post again tomorrow.

More about Alaska

I haven't had a chance to deal  with photos - I upload to both computers but have to do a fancy dance to get the pics onto a flash drive in order to use them.  I know my iPhoto isn't working well, but I don't think Blogger is working well either.

I've been asked about the hours of daylight in Alaska, and I noticed changes about every two days - maybe just by a few minutes.  I usually went to bed during daylight, 9:00 - 10pm or so.  All the bedrooms have blackout shades, but I could see a small amount of light around the edges which didn't keep me from falling asleep when my head hit the pillow.  I get up about every 2 hours during the night for a bathroom run, and for the first 1 or 2 trips I could see that it was not dark yet - more like twilight.  After that for a couple more trips it was pitch dark.  I never turn on a light during the night, so I just felt my way and blessed Pam for letting me have a room next to the bathroom.  By 6 am when I usually woke up, it was daylight and I got up and made myself a cup of coffee to greet the day.  I think the reverse daylight/dark will occur as winter sets in.

We visited a musk ox and reindeer farm which I will write about when I take care of the photos.

About a week after arriving a tragedy occurred that could have been much worse.  Pam's son Clayton (my d-i-l's 1st cousin), his wife and their two children, ages 1 and 3, lost their home to a fire shortly after they left one morning.  A neighbor noticed the smoke and tried to get to their two Springer Spaniels - they called for the dogs as the smoke was too thick to enter, but the pets had gone to the upstairs trying to get away from the smoke.  The neighbor called our host, Mike, and he and my son Joe bolted out to see if they could help in any way.  It was a long day.  The house was a total loss and both dogs perished.  Clayton's wife had just lost her mother and was still grieving for her, and I think the news of the dogs hit her pretty hard.

I've been through a total house fire and after a day or so talked to her about inventorying the contents, etc.  Both Clayton and his sister are in the insurance business and have been very well taken care of by the agents.  I knew no one in insurance in the 1980's, but was treated exceptionally well, paid promptly and given replacement costs for all contents.

So that day was spent at home which I didn't mind at all.  Travel wears me out and I enjoy just taking it easy, not having to be doing something every minute, except for checking to see if the mist is on the peaks or not.

Note to Ms. B:  I recorded the gas prices at the Tesoro station in Palmer (a nearby town to Wasilla?).  It was $2.539/gal.  Thirty minutes north near Talkeetna  it was 2.63/gal., and in Anchorage it was lower by about 10cents. Seward was the highest at $2.73.  These are prices for Regular, and Premium is about a dime higher per gal.  I only checked one station in each location because they seem to be pretty much the same.

 

To Alaska

I will try to describe some of my Alaskan trip, although it will be impossible to capture the essence of the place in words or in pictures.  You just have to be there to understand the incredible beauty and majesty of the place.

We flew round trip on Alaska Airlines, which is the best I've ever been on.  The seats in coach were a bit wider and much more comfortable, with way more leg room, than other airlines.  The flight attendants were great as well.  On the first leg of the trip the plane was a "Bombardier Q400", which was described as a turbo prop.  Not being an aviation expert I figure it had jet engines but also propellers, and I was sitting in the seat with a great view of one of the props.  The plane flew low enough that the view of the ground and everything on it was clearly visible, which always makes me feel better than just looking at clouds.  I distinctly remember taking photos and that the propeller took up half the picture, but for some reason there is nothing on my camera for this part of the trip.  One of the highlights was seeing Mt. St. Helen's in the distance and watching it grow taller and more beautiful as we got closer to Portland.  Mt. St. Helen's is in Washington state, but was clearly visible from the air to our north east.

We arrived in Anchorage and were met by Sarah's uncle, who drove us and all our luggage to their home which is a litte north of Wasilla.  They have a gorgeous home with a view that never failed to mesmerize me and I constantly took pictures of it.  Looking out from the living room and beyond the deck were mountains that the mist and clouds constantly played with.  Sometimes it looked like the peaks had a sparkling necklace and crown of mist, and sometimes they were visible in their stark beauty.  You might get tired of the same scene, but I couldn't help taking photos of it.

Ok, I'll stop here with the photos of this particular peak, although I can't promise that I didn't take others.  This was the first day and I just couldn't help myself.

My camera gave me problems since, for some reason, the little door on the compartment that holds the batteries and SIM card wouldn't stay closed.  I had trouble keeping it shut while taking pictures, but finally got the hang of it.

We stayed with my d-i-l's aunt & uncle,  and I've never met more hospitable people.  Pam made sure that I had a bedroom to myself, right next to the bathroom!  And cook?  The woman cooked 3 meals a day that would put any chef to shame!  Like with any large family, there were the grown kids and their families popping in and out, and I felt right at home with everyone.

More to come - 
P.S.  I will change my header photo when I get to the exact perfect picture to replace it!