We left Talkeetna and headed to Anchorage. It was overcast, but not raining during the trip. We stayed in Anchorage at Ship Creek RV Park. The park is long and skinny with rigs just as close together as possible. And once again we were right next to the railroad tracks. Fortunately there were only night trains at 11:05PM and about 6AM, because they blew their whistles and rocked our coaches as they went by.
We had relatively good weather there. In fact some friends of the Coys that live there said we were there during the warmest weather so far this year, and I’m not sure we got above 70 degrees. Within walking distance of the park was the Kluane River (flowing into Turnagain Arm) fishing bridge. People couldn’t fish from the bridge, but we could walk along the bridge and watch many folks standing in the river fishing. And we could watch the fish swim under the bridge as they started their trips upstream. There was also an Ulu factory very close by.
We went to the Anchorage Zoo – what a neat little zoo. The zoo takes in injured and abandoned animals from the area, so we saw Bald Eagles, Yaks, Dall Sheep, Musk Ox, Red Fox, a young pack of wolves, Moose, Polar Bears, Black and Brown bears, and even tigers. All the animals were cooperative about showing themselves. We also went to the Native American Cultural Center where there were examples of housing, habits, and crafts of each of the five Alaskan Indian Nations. Here they are called Nations instead of Tribes or Reservations.
We left Anchorage on a beautiful sunny day and headed toward Soldotna and the Kenai Peninsula. The scenery included mountains (the Kenai Range) and Turnagain Arm – This is a large arm of salt water off Cook Inlet.
About 27 miles south of Anchorage we drove into Girdwood (at the suggestion of that nice man at the Nenana Visitor’s Center a few days earlier). This is a small town that is a ski resort in winter, and a tourist attraction because of the tram in the summer. We first went to The Bakery and got the best cinnamon rolls so far!!! Then we took the tram to the top and saw beautiful views of glaciers, Turnagain Arm, Kenai Range, etc. Once again, there were flowers everywhere. There are hanging baskets and blooming gardens in every town, at every business – begonias, Fuchias, petunias, marigolds - just beautiful. And then it was back on the road to Soldotna.
That’s in the next installment.
Happy travels, Ellen & Gordon
