Day Fifteen - Seward pt 1

Saturday June 7th 2008
Part 1: Down to Seward
Early to bed, early to rise and in Alaska during the summer the sun will be out.

Arlene was a jewel, gem, treasure, kindness… and did the majority of the driving. We started out with Nick riding shotgun but switched when it became apparent that he was going to sleep whether he wanted to or not.


The drive down was populated with stunning scenery and amazing animals. Arlene is the Head of the Archives and Special Collections department at the Consortium Library, University of Alaska – Anchorage. She said that many collections of photos from people coming to visit Alaska begin with lots of scenery pictures which dwindle down to almost nothing the longer the person stays. I must say it does get overwhelming and how many pictures of stunning vistas does one need…? I LOVE digital photography, no film to worry about wasting and I can take as many photos as I want.



Arlene was able to point out all kinds of wildlife such as the amazing dall sheep on the drive down and the grizzly bears on the way back.

When we arrive at the pier we had the option to switch from the smaller boat with the shorter duration or the bigger boat which was less full for a longer duration. I was all for taking the longer boat ride. This meant we had an hour or so to kill before leaving.

We drove along the edge of the bay and spotted a sea otter, took in the views, and then stopped for coffee and pastry at a local haunt.

The weather was overcast and misty and this state of affairs continued the whole time we were out on the ocean. This turned out to be a good thing because it made the seas FLAT.


We got back to the pier, I bought some seasick pills – better to be careful than sick is my motto. And we went out to the big boat. The three of us went to the upper deck braving the cold and the mist/rain.

Receipts:
Resurrection Art and Coffee House – Seward AK
Helly Hansen, Kenai Fjord Tours (sea sick pills) – Seward AK

Wildlife & Birds:
See pt 2

For more photos:
Drive to Seward http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157605622954082/
Out on Resurrection Bay http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157605623736900/
Home from Seward http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157605629835815/

Day Fourteen - Birding, Touristing in Anchorage

Friday June 6th 2008
Birding and being Tourists in Anchorage


We began the day with a little shopping. Nick had to have an Ulu knife so off to the Ulu factory we went. While there I found an adorable Eskimo girl doll trimmed in mink, playing a drum that will be perfect for the Christmas tree.

Outside of the store we found baby magpies in a tree.


Arlene then indulged me, the birder and Nick the geologist and showed us some of the great birding spots:


Potter's Marsh
Arctic terns!!!!
I saw lots of these graceful, swift, beautiful terns but here they were so close…
Mew gulls
Red necked grebes
Canada geese
Green wing teals
Bank swallows


(I don't know why there's a blue setting on my camera, nor why I accidentally set it to blue either.)

Point Woronzof Park
Here is where Nick took off to hike down by the shore and poke around the rocks. Arlene and I looked out at the scenery, the coast, the ocean, the trees. It was all good till someone came by and said that a grizzly had been spotted nearby earlier in the day. EEEEP. We stayed closer to the car, and I must admit to worrying till Nick came back in sight. He’s so stealthy that he’s likely to surprise a bear, which is NOT a good thing.
Bank swallows
Robins


Glen Alps (Flattop Mountain) (walked the Anchorage Overlook Trail)
Dark eyed junco
I’ve seen so many of these swift little birds that I can now identify them on the wing. WHOO HOO I never though that would happen. The view of Anchorage from here was fabulous.


Anchorage Zoo
This was really a neat zoo. They focus on native wildlife so they had lots of bears. This was the only place we got to see Polar Bears, Wolves, and Snowy Owls.


Ponds by freeway

Mew gulls
Mallards
Canada goose
Greater scaups
Lesser scaups
Red necked grebe
Northern shovelers
American wigeons
Hudsonian godwits
Bonaparts gull
Herring gulls

We ate dinner at Arlenes and headed for bed early, the 4:00 wake up call was going to be coming and I couldn’t wait.

Receipts:
Ulu Factory (souvenirs) – Anchorage AK
Arctic Roadrunner – Anchorage AK
FM Fuel – Anchorage AK
Fred Meyers (grocery) – Anchorage AK

Photo set 'Out and about Anchorage': http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157605628323677/

Day Thirteen - Anchorage Interview

Image: Interior entry to library

Thursday June 5th 2008
Interview University of Alaska Anchorage

This interview was very fun, Arlene walked me through the library then I met with the librarians who were equally great. Nick found a great spot to hang out and read – the gorgeous atrium in the library.

Afterwards Arlene took us to lunch at a fabulous pizza place (The Moose’s Tooth). I have tried to eat spinach salad before, but nothing prepared me for the marvelous baby spinach salad of this restaurant. Tres magnifique.

She led us to a couple of stores. The first New Sagaya is a huge grocery store, only it’s organic, and imported (of course) and has EVERYTHING. We’ve been looking for palm vinegar for a year. We found it in Anchorage. Oh, and ghiradhelli unsweetened chocolate powder, eyup, it was here too. We loaded up on chocolate, cheese and fruit to eat for dinner.

Next was the AK Wild Berry Products where I succumbed to more hand-made chocolates and a magnate or two.

Later we talked and ate and laughed until I called it a night.

Receipts:
AK Wild Berry Products (food and souvenirs) – Anchorage AK
New Sagaya (food and souvenirs) – Anchorage AK

Interestingly, while looking at souvenirs I spotted some art pieces made by a Kent Heindel. I laughed and said I knew a guy named Kent Heindel, we are cousins, sorta. He is first cousins with my first cousins... He used to come and hang out on the ten acres with his brothers and help us have all sorts of fun. Anyway, I just joked that it might be him. Several months later at a family reunion I find out it really was him! He moved to Anchorage years ago where he is an artist (master sculptor). That was very cool.

Photo set from University of Anchorage visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157605565401010/


Image: Atrium at UA-Anchorage

Day Twelve - Fairbanks to Anchorage via Denali

Wednesday June 4th 2008
Drive to Denali to Anchorage & Arlene’s place
359 miles – estimated 7 hours of driving

This was serious driving and it took a LOT longer than the estimated 7 hours. The big distraction was the scenery. We also detoured into Denali park and hiked around a bit. I did not know that Moose can come in a blonde color.



The visitor’s center was gorgeous and the roads were good. Lots of wildlife including many a snowshoe bunny were spotted. We did the walk out to Savage Cabin which is still used by park personnel in the winter. Apparently they still use dogsleds.

There were huge nails nailed through the window shutters so they spiked outward. I laughingly said they were to keep grizzly's out. The ranger said I was right. Eeep.


Image: The low lying cloud that looks like a triangle is actually Denali. Click on the image to get to a larger version.


Driving, and more driving and finally a gorgeous view of Mt McKinley aka Denail. And then back to driving and driving past one stunning scenic view after another. It was kinda overwhelming. We drove past towns with names like Nenana, Healy, Cantwell, Trapper Creek, Willow, Eklutna and Eagle River.

Another monolithic dome came into view, we didn’t stop so I have no details. Still pretty cool looking. Looks a bit like the older ones that were made in the 80s.

Sometimes there are things that make you go WHAT?!? This couch by the side of the road was one of them. It was up a steep bank and it looked like there were no people anywhere so WHAT?!?!

The specks in the sky are helicopters. A whole flock of them heading somewhere fast.

Welcome to Wal - Mikes where you can find anything that someone else didn't want.

As we're driving into Anchorage the road widens and becomes a freeway. The traffic starts behaving erratically and we look to our right and there's a freakin' Black Bear! It's running along the edge of the fence on a grassy area right by the freeway. It would look at the fence, which was the barrier between it and the forest and then at the freeway and just keep running. Lots of people were trying to stop, and we would have been one of those people, but the traffic was snarling and prudence suggested driving on.

Receipts:
Golden North Motel – Fairbanks AK
SFM Fuel - ??
Denali Bookstore (souvenirs) – Denali Park, AK
Windbreak Hotel (dinner) – Wasilla AK
Tesoro (gas) – Wasilla AK





Image to the left: Check out the bright purple light stand in this photo. By now I was really fascinated by man made objects...



Image to below and to the right: Willow Ptarmigan at Denali National Park








Wildlife & Birds:
Willow ptarmigan
Green winged teal
Lesser scaup
Blackpoll warbler
White crowned sparrow
Dark eyed junco
Wilson's warbler
Mew gull


Image: Blonde moose, click on the photo to get to the larger size.

Snowshoe bunny
Grizzly bears
Caribou
Black bear

For more photos of this amazing day of driving see: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157605570502845/

Day Eleven - Fairbanks Interview

Tuesday June 3rd 2008
Interview University of Alaska - Fairbanks

The interview here went very well. See Library Banter for more details. Nick got more research done while I was involved with the librarians. We then got to spend the rest of the day playing tourist. One of the thrift stores we went to, okay it was more of a pawn shop had racks and racks of dvds cheap. Unfortunately it was closing in 30 minutes so we had to hustle to look through them all. Thank heavens we were driving our big red suitcase.



Nick convinced me to go to the Pioneer Park which proved to be very entertaining, lots of original buildings and interesting artifacts.



The Cookie Jar’s dinner might have been mediocre, but the chocolates were spectacular!

Golden North Motel (day 2)
4888 Old Airport Way
Fairbanks, AK 99709

Receipts:
Safeway (grocery) – Fairbanks AK
Taco Bell – Fairbanks AK
UAF Parking permit – Fairbanks AK
Cookie Jar (dinner) – Fairbanks AK
SFM Fuel – Fairbanks AK
Safeway (grocery) – Fairbanks AK
Fred Meyer (grocery) – Fairbanks AK
Value Village (thrift store) – Fairbanks AK

More photos from the University of Alaska - Fairbanks: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157605548013800/
More photos from Pioneer Park: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157605553099840/

Day Ten - Tok to Fairbanks AK

This drive was a Moose Bonanza

I don't know where they were all heading, maybe to the moose picnic
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Monday June 2nd 2008
Drive to Delta Junction and then to Fairbanks
203 miles – estimated 4 hours of driving



This drive was great! So short that it felt like there was no driving at all. We started seeing Monolithic Domes at Delta Junction. Here was the office of M2C1 construction. I took a bunch of pictures of this gorgeous copper dome for dad. I was bummed that the owner wasn’t there. After all, dad’s only famous to a select group of people.

We checked into the hotel upon arrival in Fairbanks and discovered that the room was very, very small and the Internet connection was irregular. Here in Fairbanks we found the joys of staying out of our hotel room.

The first touristy stop was the Large Animal Research Station where the university personnel are studying Caribou, Reindeer, and Yaks. We got to take the tour and learn lots about them. Best of all was the very, very, cute baby yaks.

Birding was high on the list of things for me to do and they have a wonderful bird spot at the Creamery, so called because it is on the site of an old dairy farm.

Next touristy thing was the trip to the marvelous bookstore then the internet café for treats and internet access.

The most amazing Thai food can be found here in Fairbanks. If you go I recommend ordering one thing off the menu and sharing. We ordered two things and couldn’t even touch the second…

Golden North Motel
4888 Old Airport Way
Fairbanks, AK 99709

Receipts:
Golden Bear Motel & RV Park – Tok AK
Three Bears (gas) – Tok AK
IGA Food (groceries) – Delta Junction AK
Sam’s Sourdough Café – AK ?
Large Animal Research Station (admissions) – Fairbanks AK
Large Animal Research Station (souvenirs) – Fairbanks AK
Gulliver’s Books – Fairbanks AK
College Coffeehouse (coffee, tea, treats, internet access) – Fairbanks AK
Pad Thai Restaurant – Fairbanks AK

Wildlife & Birds:
Moose
Mew gulls
Bank swallows
Violet green swallows
Lesser scaup
Green winged teal
Canada geese
American wigeon
Northern shoveler
Sandhill cranes
Cliff swallow
Wilson's warblers
White crowned sparrow
Dark eyed juncos

Random quote from some sign: “Worry is the darkroom where negatives are developed”

For more photos from this day see: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157605547282888/

Day Nine - Haines Junction to Tok AK

Image: Moose by side of the road

Sunday June 1st 2008
Drive to Tok AK
291 miles – estimated 6 hours of driving

This drive included lots of dirt road as the ALCAN highway was being improved. For awhile we were behind a truck with a funny thing on the back, like a camper, but not. In Anchorage we got a close of view of the modern version. It’s a dog sled team transport vehicle, with kennels in the back and the sled on the top in some cases. It was very cool.

Image: Dirt covered glacier, the water is melting out from under it.

At lunch at Buckshot Betty’s I found another pair of birders who were having a great trip. People were very friendly on the road.

Tok is where I saw my first allegedly elusive snow shoe hare. I would see lots more of them on our journey, but it was very exciting to see my first one. Nick and I went birding and drove around Tok a bit. We found the appliance graveyard. I hadn’t thought about it, but it must be very hard to recycle stuff out in the middle of Alaska.




Fast Eddy’s restaurant in Tok was listed in our AAA guide and it was good. I think this was the last time I used the guide on the whole trip. I’m just too cheap to eat at most of the places they recommend.

The conifers in Alaska and the Northern parts of the Yukon are mostly these twisty, Seussian, black spruces.

Golden Bear Motel & RV Park
PO Box 500
Tok Alaska 99780

Receipts:
ALCAN Motor Inn – Haines Junction YT
Fas Gas – Haines Junction YT
Buckshot Betty (lunch) – Beaver Creek Yukon YT
Fast Eddy’s Restaurant (dinner) – Tok AK

Wildlife & Birds:

Moose
Snow shoe hares

Cliff swallows
Tree swallows
Bank swallows
Yellow bellied sapsucker
Golden eagles
Rough legged hawk
Lesser scaup
American wigeon
Mallards
Rusty blackbirds
Ring neck duck
Bald eagles
Gray jay (taiga)
Yellow-rumped warbler
Mountain blue bird
White-crowned sparrow (taiga)
Robins
Ravens

I really wanted to see a Gray jay. And Alaska welcomed us by having one perch on the customs point sign.

For more photos see: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157605552053113/

Day Eight - Watson Lake to Haines Junction

Saturday May 31st 2008
Drive to Whitehorse and to Haines Junction YT
369 miles – estimated 7 hours of driving)

Before we went on this trip, Nick and I discussed how interesting it was that people look for chain restaurants when eating out in new places. By the time we got to Whitehorse we were ready for a chain restaurant, something where the food wood be familiar and up to a certain standard of edibility. That’s not to say that other places weren’t decent food. But familiarity was something that was desired. And that’s how we ended up at Pizza Hut in Whitehorse. We used McDonalds on a semi-regular basis, but that was more to keep our food costs down. This time, Pizza was what we wanted.

I believe this is the drive where Nick put one of Cosby’s radio/humor broadcasts on the car transmitter. I laughed so hard I actually had to pull over and wipe tears from my eyes.

Haines Junction is one of my favorite spots ever. The drive was much shorter than expected so when we got there we had time to look around. And you cannot beat the scenery of the St. Elias Mountain chain. The hotel was clean and fresh and the dining room was astonishing. One of the best meals we had on the trip was here.

ALCAN Motor Inn
P.O. Box 5460 Haines Junction, Yukon Territory, Y0B 1L0
(867) 634-2371
For Reservations Only:

Receipts:
Belvedere Hotel – Watson Lake YT
Watson Lake Super A Foods (grocery) – Watson Lake YT
Petro Canada - Watson Lake YT
Pizza Hut – Whitehorse YT
Shell Canada – Whitehorse YT
Madleys Bigway Foods (grocery) – Haines Junction, YT
AlCan Motor Inn (dinner) – Haines Junction YT